


For the First Real Time

by Dr_Mini_Me



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alice will have a female mate., All first person POV, F/M, First Meetings, Its a story before the story of Twilight but with an OC, Light BDSM relationships, Some Fluff, Some Humor, very light
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-06-05 09:49:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 65,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6700057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dr_Mini_Me/pseuds/Dr_Mini_Me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"'How would you like to come home with us today, sweetheart' The most bold asked nonchalant and motioned to the group of kids next to him. I'd gotten comments before but a straight up proposition? In front of Jasper of all people?" Catharin died in 1856, she then meets a young Major up the road and loses him...but hes back for sure now. Right? Right. (jasper/OC may do twilight too)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Long ago in my human years, I'd found that what I enjoyed the most was helping people. The way I did that was through herbs and teas and medicines of that sort. I was known as Catharin the Healer, the Savior, the Survivor...among the colonies anyways.

In England I was faceless, they had their chemists with their fancy solutions and tests. Well not only that but also the fact I was a woman, it was really _only_ out in the colonies that I could get away with having such a vast knowledge on plants and their many uses.

When the smallpox sickness spread among the colonies, I was the only one that realised it _could_ be stopped through the carnivorous plants I found through the help of the natives. I did say they helped but eventually people just wanted the cure, they could care less about where it'd come from.

I suppose where my story really begins is in the summer after my betrothal to Elias Watson, a mere blacksmith. We were modest but we were happy. I found I was showing signs of carrying a baby with a belly growing rounder and rounder. I was already 18, however so the baby seemed that it was doing very well. Children from women 3 or 4 years younger than I seemed to do better but we were so hopeful, I'd even made it past the quickening and felt the child move. I was more happy Elias hadn't run off to join the confederacy, I didn't know if I was strong enough to go through birth alone and I found their cause to be rather ridiculous, though I'd never say it out loud.

I'd been sitting in our small store below the house tending to some of the drying herbs that particular day. Sometimes people came in only to have them to cook with, Nasturtium and Chia helped give foods a sweeter taste but lasted longer if they were dried.

I looked up, startled, at the sound of the door opening and slamming shut. He was fast moving, seeming to almost blur in front my eyes. It was again startling and I dropped the glass vial in my hands. It shattered softly as he banged on the counter, trying to say he needed service as I shuffled towards him, being nearly 8 months pregnant had me moving slower than normally.

"Your name, sir?" I asked him cautiously, Elias was far away in the metal working area lower down the street. He looked up at me and I took in the pale skin and blood coloured eyes. He was beautiful but still I could feel my heart beat kick up as I wrapped a hand around my belly. Something seemed rather odd about him.

"Will Reeds, Ma'am." He spoke like all the men around here but he looked as though he came from some where much farther away with less sun. I nodded as I shifted myself around the counter.

"And your malady?" I questioned, trying to feel more comfortable with him as I was closer now.

"I was bitten by a man earlier and felt an extreme pain, now I just feel thirsty all the time but the water will not quench my thirst." He motioned to the side of his left shoulder, teeth marks were clearly imprinted upon his skin. I nodded and shifted myself back around the counter, looking for snake root and the prairie verbena. I'd used them before to treat a number of things, they seemed to almost be a cure all. Occasionally people came back with stomach pains but it could be taken care of easily.

I grabbed them and turned around. I was met with the same blood red eyes but now so much closer, he'd moved so silently behind me. He was just staring hungrily between me and my stomach. It was terrifying and unsettling.

"S-sir?" I asked cautious again. There was just something _not_ right about this guy. He growled and grabbed my wrist, I heard it pop and the vial shatter on the floor next to us before I felt the pain. I yelped out in pain as he swooped out of site and I felt my legs lifted. Suddenly we were moving, we were out of town and in woods. I felt positively ill as he threw me back on the ground.

"Please!" I begged as I tried to shield my stomach. I was so close to having a child. So close I could feel it, I just wanted the baby so _badly_. My mother wasn't around for most of my childhood I was begging to change that with a child of my own. I _wanted_ a happy, simple life with my herbs and my baby and Elias.

"Forgive me, lord. I could not stop myself." He looked towards the sky as he made the sign of the cross over himself. I let out a scream as he jumped and pierced my collar bone. It felt like a stone had dumped itself on top of my small frame. I could hear my own bones crack as the fire in my shoulder burned on and felt the pain as his knees hit my belly. I wish he'd just have ravaged me and be done with it all. I expected it to come soon, my clothes being torn off and ruining me. Instead he seemed to only want my life.

Eventually I felt him stand and say a small prayer before it sounded like he walked away through the burning sensation. It steadily streamed from my shoulder and seemed to only work it's way down, I could feel it attacking the child within me. It was killing it and me. I squeezed my belly through the haze, trying to stop the poison from harming my baby. It wasn't working! I could still feel it.

It seemed that the pain went on for ages as I felt my child's soul leave me. I was in utter anguish between the pain working itself around in my chest and the loss of my baby. I could practically hear his heart beat die as mine did as well. How could god do this to me? What had I done wrong? Why was _I_ not allowed to have my child? As my constant questions continued I felt the fire die down. I opened my eyes for what seemed the first time in years of pain, I wasn't sure how much time had passed and it was dark out. I sat up, expecting myself to have to watch out for my belly when I looked down.

My baby was dead. It'd just _gone,_ it was like I'd never been with child in the first place. My chest ached with it's loss. My dress hung loosely in blood covered tatters as I stood shakily, now accommodating a much slimmer body.

Everything around here seemed greener and louder than I'd last remembered, I couldn't tell which way town was anymore. It all seemed to swirl around me and I didn't particularly care if I ever found my way back. I felt like I'd died with the death of my child. I began to simply wander, picking one place to walk until my legs gave out and I finally truly died. I didn't want to see Elias or the town, I wanted to curl up and feel the gates of heaven take me in.

I did wander. For many days. I wandered until I couldn't do anything but focus on the burning in my throat. It was consuming my anguish and pain, leaving behind only hunger. I was still in forest but I could smell an animal. After the eighth day, I gave into my hunger and chased down what seemed to be a large black bear.

He gave me quite the fight and I found I was rather weak but I could still snap it's neck. I gave into the instincts telling me to drain it and did so, it seemed to have quenched my thirst almost entirely. However as it did, the sadness came back in all it's fury. I looked back down at my dress, tattered and ripped nearly through and thought about taking it's skin before I decided I'd simply find water to see if I was really all that disheveled.

I heard the water and walked closer, looking into the reflective surface. My eyes were blood coloured now and my features had only been polished by the poison. However my course yellow hair was now simply shiny and straight as always almost touching the water's surface, it'd lost it's bindings long ago. The pink calico cotton dress was torn down the middle and I sighed at the sight of my pale stomach showing through the gash. I had no sewing needles and honestly didn't feel like mending the thing. It only served to remind me of what I'd lost. I cleaned the blood off of me and stood, deciding to continue my death march.

I came across a road after another bear and another week had gone by when I smelled something incredibly enticing. I walked slowly in the sun, it was beating down but I felt nothing of it's warmth. There appeared to be a confederate soldier up along the road, he was riding a horse. He looked back at me as I walked behind him, staring. He looked startled as he turned his horse 'round towards me. This was the first time I met the man known to me then as Jasper Whitlock.


	2. Chapter 2

"Miss! Are you alright?" He was more accented than the men I was used too. I supposed he was from somewhere close by to what used to be my home. I took in his curly honey coloured hair and brown eyes as he gracefully hopped down from his horse. He was beautiful in a simple way.

"I suppose not." I replied sounding a little constricted and uncomfortable. It was the first time I'd heard my own voice since the fire in my heart that took my child, it sounded like the sound of bird song or wind chimes. It was young yet beautiful in a way that mocked my demise and losses of my house, baby, and husband. He walked closer and I could _smell_ his blood. He smelled delicious, I could feel the liquid pooling my cheeks as I took in his scent.

"What happened? You look like you've been through a fight with a bear." He sounded incredibly confused as he took in my appearance, I suppose he wasn't used to seeing women in maternity wear with a flat stomach and a torn dress. Though at the same time, I did just leave a fight with a bear.

"I lost...my way." I finished slowly, I was trying to not breath in his smell. I didn't want to hurt this man. He seemed kind and honest, almost reminded me of Elias. He nodded understandingly as he took a step back and motioned to his animal.

"Please, let me take you back to town, Ma'am." He bowed at the waist as he looked at me, I curtsied in return. My momma had ingrained those sort of manners into my very bones, it was an automatic reaction now.

I nodded and went towards his horse, I stuck one foot in the stirrup and waited for him to help lift me up. It was unsightly for a women to simply sling her leg over a horse. I was still a lady if not a barren one. We rode at first in silence as he lead the animal down the road but it seemed like he enjoyed talking to me as he continued the conversation when he could. It was pleasant and easy going between us as strangers, the idea was alien to me but he made it seem more and more familiar.

"Whats your name, if you don't mind me asking, ma'am." He was respectful with his words, I took it that he was well groomed as a child then.

"Catharin Woods." I replied quietly and bowed my head as he looked back at me and did the same. I'd used my mother's last name, Elias would have understood. I hoped. I was a much different women now in a fortnight than I had been when I was married to him and with child.

"Major Jasper Whitlock at your service, Miss Catharin." He bowed again, grinning, as I nodded my head down towards him. I'd stopped breathing essentially, just taking in breaths when I need to speak. I liked this man, I didn't want to hurt him so I ignored the pooling in my mouth and the burning sensations. He was kind and good soul to me, he didn't deserve this life.

"May I ask how you came to lose your way this far, Miss Catharin?" He was making friendly conversation now but as I thought back all I could feel was the deep pains in the pit of my chest.

"I...I was attacked and left. The man took my child and my home from me." I responded slowly, for some odd reason it felt okay to tell him these things.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Catharin." He sounded genuinely downtrodden at my losses, like he shared them with me. The thought in itself was comforting and motivating. The weight of my pain had been lifted if not only by a little. He seemed to have accepted my pitiful fortune with out questioning me about it and it was still quite striking that this conversation was almost pleasant.

"May I ask why you fight for the confederacy, Mr Whitlock?" I asked him a question this time. He seemed to be taken aback by my tone, it was true. I looked down on the cause.

"Because this is my home, here, and the northerners are trying to take it from me, ma'am. Simple as that." He spoke with passion and confidence but didn't forget his manners. I was interested in this young man now. He seemed to be as old as I if not a year older.

"Are you married, Mr Whitlock?" The ride had gone silent again after my question and he shook his head in response.

"No, ma'am." His answer made me curious as I took in his confidence and wide strides. I was surprised no women had ever just tossed themselves at him.

"Why? You seem the right age, sir." I was now just being nosy and he had every right to tell me it wasn't proper. He let out a snort that almost sounded like a bit of laughter at my curiousity. He had a cause to fight for and seemed to put marriage and a family on the back burner.

"I'm 19, Miss Catharin but I just never found the right girl." He replied through the grin, he was okay with that. He seemed so comfortable I was almost relaxed.

"Is that so? Or did she simply pass you by on your way to the battlefields?" I asked cheekily, letting a little smile crop up on my face. It dawned on me years after in a haze of melancholy that this smile was the very first since my attack and it was all due to his company.

"Its very much so, Miss Catharin. I'd notice a girl like that." He replied with a grin and a wink. It was verging on improper and I knew it, but something about him made me just not care about customs.

"Have you any idea what a girl like that would be like then?" I knew I was being outright nosy again but I felt the boundaries I'd been placed in for so long didn't really apply with him. It was cheerful banter between friends.

"Hmmm. She'd have long hair colored like a piece of golden wheat, pale skin and the most peculiar nose." He winked back at me as I realised he was teasing me. I felt my nose and mock glared at the back of his head. My nose had become more dainty if nothing else.

"You're taking me for a fool, Mr Whitlock!" I stated with a grin equally as large as he when he looked back at me, nodding. I laughed and watched his face turn to one of awe. I was awed myself by the sound that came out. I was expecting my usual snort, somewhat similar to that of a pig's snort, instead it sounded like glass being played softly.

"I might be and I might not but your nose isn't peculiar in the slightest for sure, Miss." He recovered quickly looking back forwards. My curiousity and interest in him lessened the pain that had been ever present in my chest even more so. He was positively charming and radiant, he felt like a warm sun that drew me in with his heart and soul.

"Do you miss your home?" He asked me, this time sounding honestly curious if not a little quiet. If I hadn't had my superb hearing, I probably would have never realized he'd spoken.

"No. God gave me a sign it was time for me to leave that place." I replied quietly, looking down at the leather saddle. I was bitter with my god, he'd given me a home and blossoming family to only take it away in the cruelest of manners. I just wished to be around Jasper for much longer but we'd arrived at the town and it was nightfall by now. The time of dusk had passed leaving us to go by a fire's light.

"Miss Catharin, here is where I drop you off. I want you to get yourself a nice dress to replace that thing and try to move on. You're one of grandest lookin' women I've ever seen 'round these parts and its a shame to not see you in better clothes with a smile on your face." He turned to me and took my hand in his. He dropped a bag of coins into it while looking earnest. I would have blushed if I were able to anymore. He was charming, indeed.

"Mr Whitlock, I can't take your money." I protested, trying to give it back. He shook his head fiercely and took my other hand, bringing it to his lips.

"Please. When I come back here after the war's over, I want to see you in a nice dress and another great smile." He sounded entirely too good to be true when he kissed my hand softly and let it drop back to my side. He swung himself up over the horse's back and leaned down to me as he spoke.

"Can I see that smile one more time before I return to base?" He asked smiling down at me and I smiled back at him. He'd given me a will to live, it seemed I could move faster and I was stronger now, like a painful weight had been lifted from my brow. I'd have given him just about anything. I could use my new abilities to help people. I could do anything.

"Theres my girl. You be careful now, Miss Catharin." He tipped his head and hat as he grinned back at me. He snapped the reins and off he went into what seemed like a desert.

"Jasper! Do you promise you'll come back?!" I yelled after him as he looked back at me and nodded.

"I promise only for you! I'll write you!" He yelled back and I watched him until I could see no more of his horse with a sinfully large grin. I almost found myself missing my newly found friend.


	3. Chapter 3

I did as he told me and went into town, looking for a dress. This time it was a light blue thing, however the shop keeper just _gave_ it to me. He said it matched my skin perfectly, I accepted the dress gratefully and went right up to the Saloon. It seemed luck was in my favor because I was given a job as the barkeep and place to call home upstairs. Things ran smoothly around there and time passed quickly enough.

I'd wait for him, and wait I did. I'd often eat the animals in the desert to last the thirst, sometimes going farther out of town to find something more substantial. The patrons were mostly men searching for alcohol to drown their sins in or the warmth of a woman for the night. It felt odd hearing the humans upstairs, next door, and those in front of me. At first I was incredibly embarrassed at it, it felt like I'd been eavesdropping on every patron upstairs and here.

When I first started, the men would often avoid me. Choosing to admire from a far or mention an order to a more substantial man. It seemed my eyes and grace had them ill at ease. They seemed to be less put off when my eyes changed from the blood red they had been to a dark gold, it worried me at first but I dismissed it quickly when nothing else changed.

Jasper's letters were the highlights of the 5 years I'd gotten them. His letters were always lovely to read, he'd bring a smile out of me every time and it felt like I did the same in return. It seemed like almost every day I was getting a letter from a Major Jasper Whitlock, I was quickly falling in love with the human man and it seemed as through he was falling in return.

Before I knew it, 10 years had passed. The war was good and over and the town was drying up out here, his letters stopped coming 5 years prior much to my heartbreak. It seemed to just confirm that Mr Jasper Whitlock was dead. He wasn't coming back to see me. I'd been left alone _again._

This time the feeling of anguish was just as great but dulled with the passing decades, leaving me hollow and alone. I didn't enjoy the company of others of my kind and I tried to be kind towards humanity but I found myself slowly hating them more and more with each decade.

After a while, I found myself roaming the country side, learning more and more about what I was and what I could do. I was most interested when I could see my skin brighten up and shimmer. I could run faster, jump higher, I was never cold or tired or genuinely hungry. I was sometimes entirely consumed simply by my thirst however this seemed to only make me a better killer.

I learned to read and write, sometimes I spent hours in the library reading about my old homes and medicines of the ages. The times were changing, the frontier land I was born into disappeared forever and technology grew to be popular. Now they just had toys and cartoons for a place I grew up in, we'd become a joke.

I'd found I was able to heal people in a sort of way, I'd picked up a job with an apothecary in Portland, Oregon and was sent to patient's homes. I took the hand of an 80 year old woman and felt the creaking of her joints rubbing together. I merely spaced them out for her and apparently cured her arthritis. The look of joy and gratefulness renewed my faith in my old species and I wasn't sure how much more I could do but the thought excited me more than anything had since the realization Jasper's death.

I'd gone back at one point to my old town, it was apparently a city, called Savannah now. I looked through the records and newspapers trying to find mention of me, my baby, my disappearance, or Elias. I'd thought about doing the same with Jasper but I didn't know where he was born and raised. There were too many officers lost in the war to look it up that way either. I didn't even know where or when he died. The thought sent me waves of melancholy that I often treated by reading his old letters back to myself. He had been a wonderful poet of sorts.

The paper read out " _The Great Healer Catharin, GONE!_ " it discussed foul play but decided I'd been taken somewhere. They assumed I was dead or not coming back a month or two later. Elias died a few decades after my disappearance. He hadn't remarried and died at the age of 32. The obituary left mentions of his grave site and mine and one of my lost child. I was surprised he'd had one for the child but was even more surprised for my own. I thought about it for the longest time before I decided to go visit the graves. It took me from 1946 until 1953 before I mustered the courage to do it.

Really the only slip up I had at the time was a man in his 20s. He came out of a pub, drunk and apparently incredibly lustful. When he grabbed my rear end I hadn't drank blood in a week, my control was slipped entirely and to this day I blame myself for his death.

I let my instincts run wild and tore into his throat like it was the wrapping on a Christmas gift from god. Humans tasted so _good._ I'd been at ends with myself since that day, forever wanting to heal the humans but also just wanting to sink my teeth into their necks and sooth the ever present burning in my throat. I'd thought about doing the same thing to his friends but decided not when my conscious arose.

I'd adjusted to the sounds of automobiles as the 50s came around but when they honked, it still scared me. I wore a black pencil skirt and a tightish shirt to his grave site. It felt odd to address my late husband in anything other than a dress but the times called for the clothes. I walked over the grass silent as always, keeping my head down from any other mourners. I'd mourn for the loss of my husband, my child and my humanity. The years had shown me I was adaptable if nothing else but hardened to the sweeter emotions. This was to be my catharsis and set me free from the past.

When I got to his grave, it looked worn down with time. I got down to my knees, not really caring if I got the skirt dirty. He'd died in 1876, literally two decades after my own death. The epitaph read out as " _Loving Husband, Son, and Brother."_ chiseled into the stone. Mine was next to his, a lighter grey but still just as worn down in the 97 years it'd sat here. I could feel my body shake with would be tears as I stared at my own epitaph " _The Great Healer, a Loving Wife and Would be Mother._ " The stone next to mine was just a brick in the grass, all my baby had was a brick. There was no birth date and no death date, merely just a " _In Loving Memory._ "

I was supposed to die then, 97 years to this day. Why did I live on like _this_? Why didn't I go back and change him? Obviously I don't age. I'd looked the same for nearly a century. I could have changed him! He could have lived out time with me. We'd be childless but we would have each other.

I thought on that for a second, things had changed since then. I wondered if he truly would have been happy with a barren wife. Jasper seemed more likely to be fine with that, just like how he had been when I last saw him.

He'd been prevalent on my mind since I left Texas all those years ago. I wasn't sure why, he just kept coming to mind and it was entirely depressing. I'd have days where all I did was lay in bed in my apartment in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and moan about being an old, childless, widow. All the vampires I'd met told me little of a world that wasn't depressing. There was talk of a government of sorts for our kind, the Volturi I believe. They were old as hell and remained in Italy unless the territory wars were particularly bad in the south.

But there were other days where I was up and actually doing my job of a waitress in a small diner there. My boss seemed to forgive me nearly every time I showed up after a few days, I was sure it had to do with my appearance as he seemed particularly interested in my rear most of the time. I found myself longing for a job in the art of healing again but university costed money and I didn't have as much as I needed for a degree in medicine.

I sat there in front of my old family's gravestones for a while longer and eventually stood as my sobs calmed themselves. It was in the past. I needed to let go of it to truly look towards the future. It seemed I could let go of the old me, Elias and the baby but I couldn't let go of my memories of Jasper. I kept replaying his words in my head, to smile and be happy and _move on._

It was simply time for me to do that.

I'd taken a car back to Pennsylvania, up north it was easier to avoid detection due to the lack of constant sunlight. When the towns started to fill out more, I'd found that the north was much better suited for my needs. I'd miss the south but my time there was spent.

On my way up to the town I'd been in for several months, I looked at the scenery passing me by, I'd probably run much faster but I needed to get used to riding in a car. I felt like they were going to be a big thing for humans, the species was always trying to get faster and stronger through the use of machines. I couldn't blame them, when I thought about how easy it was to simply snap their neck and drain them dry, it was entirely understandable.

I arrived to the north faster than I thought I would have after a few days of driving, I'd gotten the usual leery looks from the gas station attendants but I ignored them all. I'd found that my thin and lanky frame was more welcome in this era than it had been in the years past.

It felt odd but as the decades came and left, I'd gotten used to the fact the poison had made me seem particularly attractive to my meal of choice. I've always tried to not give into the urge but at other times, it was so tempting. Humans had become ungrateful and selfish little creatures leaving me with a bitter indignation towards young mothers and married women in particular.

They took it all for granted, yelling or hitting their babies when they could be hugging them. In my human years I was much more compassionate and gentle, it was expected of me as a mother and as a healer. When I lost both of those aspects, I lost any form of compassion or empathy for the rotting bodies the humans would become. I was barren and would never be able to simply live life as I had.

When I got to my apartment above the diner, I merely collapsed onto the bed. My body was shaking from tears again and this time I let myself cry them out completely before realizing I was to start anew and I'd almost wrecked that notion entirely. I rolled off the hard mattress and went towards my closet, pulling out the tight and short uniform. This job felt more like hollow busy work than anything else.


	4. Chapter 4

I gracefully and silently stepped down the stairs, taking them one at a time. I was trying to prepare myself for the scent of humans, apologizing to my boss, and the burning sensation. It was time to start anew. I kept telling myself that, over and over again. It would get better with time. I could do this. I took in a deep breath and held it as I walked into the silver kitchen, the cooks were busy and tipped their heads at me to signal they'd seen me.

I did the same as I stepped out of the kitchen to go find my boss and asked where I'd be serving. I spotted him at the far end of the pink ceramic counter top and speed walked towards him, he turned slowly and looked me up and down as usual.

"Catharin. I see you're back." He spoke slowly as he continued to let his eyes linger on my bust. I could feel the hair raise off my arm but ignored it.

"I am. Which side am I assigned, sir?" I tried to get back to business as he seemed to get distracted.

"How was the family business? Tell me about it." He motioned to a booth next to another containing a pale gentleman with honey coloured hair and a ramrod straight posture. He was looking out the window at the dark and dreary rain clouds. I was briefly reminded of Jasper but pushed the thought out of my head, every man with curly hair reminded me of him and he was **gone.** I sighed and followed the perverted human male to the booth.

"It was...morose, sir." I replied uneasily, I'd have to take in a breath soon. He nodded quickly, eyes still on my chest.

"How so?" He asked sounding just as distracted as the first time.

"I visited my dead husband and child's grave sites, _sir._ " I lost my patience with him slightly and snapped at him on the end. My boss looked shocked for a second before looking away to recover and cleared his throat awkwardly as he stood.

"Right. Well. I'm sorry for your loss, Catharin. You'll have the booths." I stood too, nodding at his statement as he turned to walk away. It was empty and we both knew it. Humans were such useless and cruel creatures, why did they bother to say half of what they do when they _never_ meant it?

"Me too, sir." I took in a breath to speak and paused for a second...there was the oddest _sweet_ smell coming from the diner's patrons. It smelled like one of my kind, I tried to smell myself covertly as I picked up a menu for the pale gentleman and the older couple behind him. It seemed my waitress counter part, Bettie, refused to serve him earlier so he simply said he'd wait. I walked closer to him and decided to stop breath lest I ruined the streak of no death I'd had going.

"Hi there sir, welcome to Peggy Sue's Diner and Eatery. Do you know what you'd like to drink?" I let the words stream out quickly and waited for a "What?" or an "Excuse me?" from the odd human as I stared down at my pad of paper. Usually I spoke too fast for a human ear to pick up, it was a game to me.

"Sir?" I questioned as I decided to finally look down at the man. We made eye contact and I stared open mouthed for what I'm sure was minutes but felt like a second.

It was him. He was _alive_. Why didn't he come back? Why was he here? Did he have a wife now? How did that happen? I had so many questions that I just continued to stare at his now red eyes, pale skin, chiseled jaw and honey blonde curly hair. He looked just as shocked as I.

"Catharin?" I felt my mouth drop down even lower as I heard him whisper my name in awe, surprise, and little bit of happiness. It was like suddenly I was even more discombobulated with my emotional span. It went from all the happiness to sadness to regret to shock.

"Jasper?" I whispered back as I stared at him.

"Can we talk?" He stood quickly and just watched me as I watched him in front of me.

"A-after my shift." I replied as he took my hand softly. I was still almost a little angry with him. He'd disappeared when he _promised_ to come back to me. Even his letters had stopped, I couldn't tell if he'd died or simply moved on.

"I understand, darlin'. I'll take a black coffee." He squeezed my hand softly and let it drop as he nodded with his face going back to an emotionless yet pained state. He sat back down with a thumph, it was unnecessarily loud for our kind. I moved onto the old couple with a renewed invigoration, even going so far as to smile at them.

All through out my shift, I moved quickly but also very much distracted. I kept glancing at Jasper, he seemed to just be watching me move around the diner. Every time I looked up, he was watching. He'd aged not physically but mentally, his eyes spoke volumes of untold horrors. I looked at him more and more, especially at his once clear and tanned skin. It was now absolutely covered in scars, spaced most thickly together on his neck and jaw. They were from teeth like my own, it seemed but humans could probably only see the larger ones.

No matter, my reason to live seemed to have come back to me, but I was also incredibly nervous he'd tell me he'd missed me and then introduce me to his wife. The thought had my chest feel like it was breaking again.

I was even more nervous when my shift ended finally and Jasper was waiting for me, outside. I was just hoping to god that it wasn't obvious on my face or posture. I tried to remain relaxed and carefree as we walked silently down the dark empty streets.

"Catharin, I...I just wanted to say I'm sorry." He spoke quickly and sounded worried. I paused at this.

"For?" I asked slowly, searching for something he'd done to me or was about to do.

"For not being there when I promised you I would be. I got back to base and told all my buddies about this women I'd met. This beautiful and kindly _Catharin_. I was going to ask you to marry me after the war but..." He recounted and turned to me, taking my hands as he spoke even faster now.

I stood shocked at the fact that he'd want to marry someone as barren and empty as me. Especially after only speaking for a short while an maintaining letters as our sole communication for 5 years. I watched his face relax enough to show me a small sad smile as he thought back to our communications.

"But? What happened?" I asked getting involved and leaning closer to try and get an answer out of the man. He looked down at the ground, taking in deep breaths.

"I was...changed. To be like you, Catharin. A woman named Maria and two others changed me for their wars. I kept sending the letters when I could, I figured you were just like me that way, but she...she said you were gone." He finished with a heart broken look on his face, like I'd shot his wife in front of him. I stood shocked for a second.

"But then where did the letters go?" I asked and tilted my head at him.

"It appears she was keeping them. I was a lot crueler without the thought you were alive and well. I lost hope. It made me a better pawn for her wars. You'd have been appalled and shamed by me." He replied darkly, putting a hand to my cheek. I reached up and touched his hand softly, he met my eyes before looking down at the ground. It was obvious that he was ashamed himself.

"Its okay. I understand and I forgive you." I replied just as softly as before. I wasn't bold enough to kiss him but I was definitely thinking about it. He looked back at and shook his head.

"Cat, love. You don't understand all the things I've _done._ I thought you were _dead_ and _gone_ as in forever." He bellowed, sounding angry at first then just sad. Though I felt it was more with himself than me mostly because he used the nickname he'd pulled up when I managed to have a spelling error in my own name. I jumped as he punched the brick wall next to us and left a hole behind.

I went up and pecked him on the lips with little else as an idea of what to do to calm him and let him know I truly did forgive him. When I did it seemed like an old photograph was taking place, he froze and stared forward for a bit before he touched his lips slowly.

"I understand, Jasper. I thought the same of you. When your letters stopped coming...well...I gave up. I wondered the country looking for some meaning in something." I shrugged and looked away, feeling like I'd over stepped some invisible boundary between us. I didn't even know if he was single or even interested.

"Did you remarry?" I heard him whisper it sounding almost accusatory, before I looked up to see him emotionless again and watching me. He was analyzing for any sort of lie, I'd guessed.

"No." I responded earnestly. I'd been waiting for something or someone to come along and give me meaning again. It seemed like he was the only that could. He growled and stepped forward heavily. The look he had made me nervous he thought I was lying.

"You're **lying.** I HEARD YOU TELL HIM YOU'D VISITED YOUR DEAD HUSBAND WHEN I WAS WAITING FOR _YOU_." He locked me in against the wall as I took several steps backwards. I felt the brick crumble and the dust land over my shoulder and hair as I shook my head.

"He died nearly 100 years ago, Jasper! I _told_ you when I first ever met you that I'd lost my child and home!" I screamed back at him, just as angry as he seemed to be. I could feel my body begin to shake with poison tears leaking out of my eyes. He opened his mouth to say something else before he tilted his head and looked rather confused.

"You're...crying. I've made you cry." His words rang out with disbelief and shock. It was like he couldn't believe I'd cry over something he'd said. I shrugged and tried to wipe them away when he stopped my hands, instead wiping them away with his thumbs. He pulled my head forwards gently as he kissed the crown and enveloped me into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Cat. I just...I get so lost in emotions sometimes. I mean my whole ability is just emotions in general but I still get caught up. I just...I love you so much and for so long and the thought that you'd moved on when I just got you back...I just got real angry real quick." He explained sadly into my head as I nodded in response, wrapping my arms around his waist. I'd been waiting for this for nearly 90 years, all the love letters and notes back and forth, the smiles and the laughter, the pain and the tears all led up to this moment.

"I love you too." I replied as I pulled back and looked up at him. His scarred face had relaxed again, this time looking happier than when I'd known him as a human. He let go of me and leaned down, pulling my face towards his. I closed my eyes and felt his lips press against mine for the first real time ever.

It was a soft and innocent kiss shared between long time lovers. Jasper pulled back and held out his hand for me to take and I did, happily. For the first time in 90 years, I felt happy and at peace. I didn't care where we went, I just wanted to spend it with him.


	5. Chapter 5

Jasper had done much better than I in terms of fiances and it seemed he'd just continued to do better. While I was waitressing in a small diner with shotty pay, he was...negotiating. He was wonderful at it with his gift thought sometimes I felt he'd taken advantage of the humans. I'd shown him mine in time but there were not many times I could, I no longer was in a position to heal anyone.

It was now a late June, I'd been living with Jasper's...carnivorous habits and the consequences of them. Often he would attempt to join me in sole animal blood but he'd fall off the cart a few times and decide to let go entirely.

He was never caught but sometimes he'd come home reeking of human blood with the most pained expression on his face. He'd hug me to him for the longest time before he confessed what he'd done and how they screamed in pain. I tried to just kiss him and hold him to me to tell him it'd be okay eventually. Though when that'd happen I found he'd also get into a certain kind of mood with me that close. The closest we came was with his hand half way up my shirt before he'd come to his senses and we'd both roll to opposite ends of the bed. He'd done it for my own choices and wishes.

Jasper and I were saving any thing like it for marriage like we'd been taught to do in a time that had now long passed. Though we were already a pair in human terms, it was only until after the wedding that I'd allow him to mark me as his, at which point we'd be a truly mated pair. I'd have him and he'd have me for as long as we both walked. He said females tended to change a little after it so I just trusted him.

It was something that we knew would be special but we'd waited so long that a marriage wasn't that much longer. We were getting married in a near week anyways. I'd found a beautiful church yard covered in flowers and plants of all kinds. It'd been around since our time in 1889. It was a simple church but I loved it's stained glass none the less, I'd asked Jasper if he had any ideas but all I received was a shrug and a soft kiss on the head.

"Whatever makes you happiest." He'd said over and over again. I wore his mother's ring, it was as old as we were now. The metal finishing was worn but the gem in the middle glinted back at me in all its blue beauty. I suppose one could say I'd gotten a bit of an attitude over the month or two I'd been around Jasper again. He brought out the rebellion in me and gave me a smile while he did it.

He was good enough at the job he'd done to mean I could stop working at the and honestly, I think I knew why Jasper was so determined to have me stop working in Peggy Sue's. I was having a...rebellious moment I suppose? Jasper was always around, watching me and the men around me. It'd come to a point that I could feel his eyes on my back most of the time, he was protective and absolutely terrified of anything hurting me. Even when we were around _humans._

I'd been working my way through the kitchen and back out to the customers. Jasper had his primary cup of coffee for the day and the manager left him alone after the last discussion they'd had. Again, Jazzy was _really_ good at negotiations. Though in that I think it was more a scare tactic and that he was there for his fianceé as he called me. It was hard to explain soul mates to a human. They were fickle creatures.

"Hey!" I'd been serving a group of younger men. They minded me of the same man I'd killed before but I dismissed the thought. I knew Jasper didn't particularly like them mostly because he'd glare everytime they made eye contact. He'd almost gotten out of his seat at one point before I got annoyed with him. They were kids. Stupid. Human. Children.

"I'll be right there." I replied neutrally, turning back around to take the plates of the usual elderly couple. Some times they'd talk to Jasper about marriage and what it was like. He'd smile and nod then thank them for their advice happily as he'd watch me move around.

"Yes, sir?" I asked as I turned up to their table. They didn't answer at first, merely looking me up and down. As I watched them I could practically _feel_ Jasper's eyes getting more and more red.

"How would you like to come home with us today, sweetheart?" The most bold asked nonchalant and motioned to the group of kids next to him. I just stared with shock. I'd gotten comments before but a straight up _proposition_? In front of _Jasper_ of all people?

"Well? How 'bout it, honey? We'd pay you real good." He asked again, grinning, when I just stared at them, it seemed like the entire diner had gone silent and were watching us. I could feel the breeze hit me before I felt Jasper's arm wrap itself tightly around my waist, pulling me away from their view.

"Hey! Man, we were talking to the la-" Their words seemed to die in their throats as I watched Jasper bang on the table, shaking it's contents. He growled at them as they stood and threw a wad of cash down, turning to run out the door. I bit my lip as I took in the anger on his face.

"We're leaving. Now. Quit your damn job, Cat. I've had enough of this." He ordered me in a hiss as I crossed my arms over each other. I didn't want to particularly quit though at the same time I felt like I was doing this just to push a little. Just enough to see how far I could get with his lenience. It seemed I'd reached my limit because he growled at my actions.

"Do it. **Now.** " He snarled lowly, watching me stand there and shake my head at him in a skimpy uniform with my hair up in a bun. I'd been trying to avoid punishment from him but it seemed that it may be very much likely once we got upstairs. I knew he was going to as the more dominant and stronger one but _god_ did I not want it. He seemed like he'd be mean with it.

"Fine." He hissed out once more before he merely dropped me over his shoulder and exited the dinner with me...ass up. This was really the first time he'd established a power grab and while I was a little thrown off, it also enticed me. In some odd way. Elias had never been one to strong arm me into anything.

"In my lap. You know what you've done. Disobeying me is 12 spankings." He stated plainly as he dropped me on the bed and sat down next to me. I groaned and rolled over, maybe I could get out of this.

"We're not a mated pair. You don't get to discipline me just yet." I stated sounding proud that I'd thought of it. I felt like I'd outsmarted him but when I looked into his face, it seemed as though it just darkened exponentially. I'd initiated something that I wasn't sure if I'd really meant to do so close to the wedding.

"Oh really, _Catharin_?" He turned and started to shift towards me in the bed. I started to inch back against the headboard, entirely focused on him.

**LEMON!**

"M-mhm." I swallowed and nodded, trying to ignore the building heat. _He_ was doing this and it wasn't all that fair. I knew we were supposed to wait until marriage but some how that seemed to matter less and less.

He smirked at my stutter as he pulled me to him roughly. I could feel _everything._ He was near rock hard excited as he started to drag his teeth along my shoulder again. **Holy crap.** My resolve was quickly crumbling and I wanted nothing more than to just give in already. I'd already been married anyways, I mean I was _8 months_ pregnant when I was changed.

"Unh! T-thats uh.." I lost my train of thought as he started to almost nip at the spot between my shoulder and neck. I could feel the skin close to breaking, and was starting to lose my conscious thought process. His general presence was intoxicating in the worst kind of way and the fact he was so close made it worse.

I could feel myself getting excited as I turned to kiss him. I grabbed bits of his shirt, and wrapped my legs around his waist, trying to be even closer if I could be. He returned the kiss with as much excitement, shifting us so I was laying down now.

He moaned when I nipped his lip as he ground against me in return. It brought on a whole new row of feelings, this was nothing like I'd remembered. Sex or love making or whatever the fuck people wanted to call it, was _fun._ Especially with an empath.

"Baby can I j-" I kissed him hard on the mouth when he pulled away, giving him his answer to whatever the hell he was asking, I didn't care. He let out a loud groan as I pulled away to unzip the uniform. Pure lust stemmed from his touch and quickly spread through my being. It heated my core and clouded my senses. I wanted to give him anything he wanted without even thinking twice. He could do whatever, as long as he continued touching me.

He growled and moved my hands away biting it down the middle, practically ripping it off of me. I bounced a little on the mattress and sat up, pulling at his clothing. I'd ripped the vest and button up off in a flash. I was fast as hell when I was horny apparently, I'd waited 90 freakin' years for this man and I wanted it all _now._ I could hear the buttons bounce off the wall and bed.

"Ready?" His breath tickled my ear as I laid back down, nodding. I was ready five minutes ago. To hell with the church's policies and ideas, our time was over there and god had obviously abandoned me when he took my baby and my life from me. I didn't owe the bastard anything anymore.

Jasper leaned back down to me as I leaned up to meet him in the middle for rough kiss on the mouth. This was all incredibly animalistic, we were going off of instincts at this point and I think we both realized it. His hand traveled up to my chest and I shifted impatiently. I wanted him to do something, anything really. He pressed his lower half down on me to still me, smirking as he moved down my body. I stopped moving again, this time feeling that certain hardness on my thigh.

He started to kiss my thighs slowly working his way up to my pussy and then above. I was hoping he'd stop there but he wouldn't, he just kept trailing past the one spot I wanted him to touch. Jasper pulled back and I whined in protest, the noise ricocheted around the room and woke me up out of the haze I'd been in as I abruptly stopped myself. I had no idea where the noise came from but I was blaming him completely.

He grinned at me and let go of my waist to use his free hand, it felt good to know the whine pleased him in some way. I sharply took in a breath as he began to suck on one breast while massaging the other. He was gentle but restrained with his grip on me. I moaned and clapped my hands over my mouth. I could feel the point of Jasper's canines on my chest. He pulled away from my chest and gently pried my hands from my mouth.

"Don't hold back, I've been waiting for this ever since I walked you to town, baby." He whispered with a smirk. My nipples were standing at attention and I felt a heat building in my belly. This was taking was too long, I wanted him _now._

"This is taking too long." I whispered back, not quite trusting my voice at the normal level. He let out a dark chuckle and his hands drifted down my stomach, he was teasing me as his own brand of punishment for disobeying him downstairs.

I whined and grinded against his length inside his pants. He groaned in return and I felt his hand move to grip my waist. He leaned back over me and I felt his hand slide underneath the silk waistband, playing with the top of my underwear. It stopped there, running along the line instead of slipping inside. I whined impatiently, he'd just been teasing me since he started, it wasn't _fair_.

His lips brushed my ear, making me shiver. "Say please, _Catharin_." He whispered, I loved the way he said my name. I was almost in pain from wanting it so much. I bit my lip hard and glared up at him. I refused to beg. He stared back down at my defiance and I felt huge waves of lust hit me as he leaned closer to my face. I moaned from the sudden need and he began to grin again, going in for an open mouthed kiss.

I nipped his lip again, this time much harder to display my irritation as I grounded against him. He pulled away and doubled over, leaning his head against my neck as he looked down over me. The hand began to pull back my underwear slowly. I was still too hot so I began to scramble to undo his pants. I undid them and gripped his length, beginning to pump my hand in a relatively fast pace. He put his hand over my own and stopped the movement. I looked towards his face with a whine. I wanted him in me, _now._ I wanted to be _his._

"Can I just claim you now, Cat? Please, baby?" He sounded breathless and desperate against my neck. I nodded quickly though I was too focused on the length in my hand and the cold fingers that were now teasing my pussy to truly recollect what he was saying.

He pulled my hands back to over my head and I felt his tip begin to enter me, I breathed in sharply in anticipation. He leaned back over me and slid in fully, I felt his canines on my chest right above my bust and the feeling of the soft mattress on my back. I was lost in the feeling of him sliding in and out of me, building up speed. Before I felt his teeth, briefly I thought about how many rules we were breaking as a couple from the 1850s but suddenly I couldn't think about anything but Jasper as I let out a moan.

I was almost over the edge when I felt him finally sink his teeth in right below my left collar bone. He pulled back and licked the site, the sensation of his venom making me moan louder.

"Tell me you're mine, baby." He was whispering into my ear and began to thrust into me with more force, almost shifting me upwards when I didn't respond. The bed was so going to break with all the squeaking it was doing. I was almost sure the patrons downstairs knew _exactly_ what was going on.

"Tell me you're mine, Catharin!" He shouted, his thrusts more forceful and less gentle than before. I yelped and searched my brain for something to say. I was almost over the edge and I couldn't think straight.

"Mmm, unh. I'm yours!" I was trying to find the word in my brain and said them quickly between the moans, his thrusts were less harsh but now they were faster. He grunted as he sped up and eventually came inside me. I came with a loud moan as all the sensations swirled around me. The feel of the bed, smell of Jasper, and the sounds of my own moans were all I could focus on.

He pulled out and laid next to me, both of us breathing heavily. I began breath normally as the high wore off. He pulled me closer to him and reached around me for a blanket to pull over us. God, fucking was so much more fun than when I was a human. It'd been a chore, expected and necessary but now...now it was a _treat._ We were silent for a few minutes as I lived in the memory of just how _great_ that had been.

**LEMON OVER**

"...I know you wanted to wait until after marriage, but damn Cat." He started trying to find words as I rolled over to look at my Jazzy in the eyes. He was _mine_ now. My mate. My protector. My best friend. My lover...He was my everything and I loved every bit of it. I grinned at him and kissed him on nose. He was reflecting my grin as he pulled me towards him.

"I didn't know you had that kinda noise in you, Cat." He stated cheekily as he nuzzled my neck. I giggled and shrugged at that, I didn't really know either honestly.


	6. Chapter 6

"Though I've gotta ask, babe. What happened to waiting until marriage? I mean you know I couldn't give less of a shit but you were so...determined." He asked curiously, looking back up to look me in the eyes.

"Well...I suppose that..." I paused for a second trying to find a way to nicely put 'I've lost all faith in a god that's damned me to this barren and painful life'...maybe even one that didn't sound so damn _morose_.

"Um.." I bite my lip in thought, I didn't want him to think I regretted anything with him but the fact he was the _only_ source of joy in my life made it hard to find other good things. He raised a brow, probably sensing my emotional turmoil.

"I guess I just lost faith that God really cared if we were mated before a human marriage or not. He's already forsaken us, Jasper." I murmured and looked down. I'd killed a man and felt all of 0 retribution for his death. I looked up as Jasper nodded, he'd sat up with his back on the headboard during my long thought process. He agreed with me?

"I feel the same, Cat. I understand it completely, I've killed just so...so many. Each of them just as terrified as the last and he's done _nothing._ I'm starting to doubt if theres even a god to do with our kind when I thought you were gone." He looked back down at me with a look of trust but also a slight sadness. Both of us in our human years were raised to believe in something up there. He'd divulged something that left him almost entirely open and I realised it as I laid my head on his stomach and wrapped my arms around his bare torso.

"But you know, if there is one, I think he showed us both some mercy. We found each other anyways." He began to gently rub my back, tracing circles as he went. I smiled as I looked at the rest of the small bedroom. Our sheets were a simple grey silk, thin and almost pristine from the lack of use, Jasper wanted to splurge but I insisted on something more simple when he basically moved in.

The big white door was cracked open revealing our small living room and purple couch. I'd insisted on the couch because the color made me happy, Jasper agreed it was a pretty color for me. I think that was the first time I'd seen such a vibrant and deep color purple, I absolutely loved it. It hadn't been but two weeks since we bought it as I thought back.

_"Jazz! This one. This is the one." I pointed at the purple wrap around couch, really only 2 or 3 people could sit in it at once as the shape left curves instead of seats. He raised a brow looking at the couch. He'd been previously eyeing a recliner but I convinced him that he'd never use it. He ran his handover the wrap around bit and sighed. All the other couchs looked absolutely hideous with their right angles and sharply cut wood._

_"Why?" He asked incredulously and came up next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. I leaned my head on his shoulder and grinned up at him._

_"It makes me happy." I declared as the sales attendant roamed close to us. He'd gotten a little too close before and Jasper got all glarey with him, asking for a little more time. He smiled back down at me and shrugged._

_"If it means you'll smile like that every time you see it, why not?" He kissed my forehead and let go, walking with me behind him to go see the price. We'd honestly never use it but I loved the color and the feel. The suede felt like tiny butterfly kisses on my palms._

Time passed us by quickly, we'd married with a small ceremony. I didn't sport a wedding dress, if anything he'd gotten a hold of a tux and I wore a classically 50s tea length chiffon and lace black dress. It hugged my figure but accentuated the curves I barely had. I became Catharin Whitlock _finally_. It was something I felt we'd both thought about for a long time and I found I didn't care so much about how we'd gotten married. I wore a ring of his mother's while he had a simple silver band, I felt the color suited him more than gold.

Soon enough we left Pennsylvania with the hopes of me getting a medical degree in Seattle, Washington at the University of Seattle there. I found that we'd need new papers to travel and enroll me with so Jasper wound up finding a lawyer that would do precisely that. I felt it was a little brutal to scare the living daylights out of the man but he'd never given us up for what he suspected us to be. He was loyal and covert when needed, Jasper had made sure of that. I was now Katharine Whitlock, a married 18 year old female from Houston, Texas.

Seattle was a busy town in the 50s, they'd been under going a large economic boom since WWII. The human wars never really effected Jasper and I's lives. He merely fed on the humans with little regard to their histories. Well except those that had been in battle or in service. He still held some respect for the servicemen. I'd found myself starting to think more and more about feeding on them as the wild life disappeared in Seattle. The city was expanding and this pushing most of my food source out and away from us.

I knew Jasper could see the hesitation in my face as he left every time to go feed, he'd even started to wait an extra minute or two before I pushed the thoughts away and motioned for him to go. It was only getting more and more apparent as I went through college life, as a woman I was a slight rarity. As a pale vampire woman, I was the _only_.

The males would stare at me as I went only to have walked away when Jasper came around to the campus. He was always watchful, tensed and meticulous with his defenses around the humans. He was about to enroll himself, insisting that the stocks and bonds he'd been investing would be more than enough for us. He'd invested in something called the credit card and a computer. I wasn't really sure of what those were until the projects really started to take off in the 60s. Either way I tended to just wait for the bells, Jasper had been picking me up from classes of late.

It was also during this time that some of Jasper's old coven members came around to stay with us in Seattle. Peter and Charlotte were nice enough to me and I got along pretty well with Charlotte in particular. The girl was quiet and respectful of Jasper while she was louder and more spontaneous with me. She made menial things fun for me here.

We were in some freshman classes together and we often went home together. It was easier for Jasper to deal with when the boys got a little more interested in us, it was also nice for when we wanted to go out but Jasper and Peter were busy. I was already in my third year of school by 1962 when we'd gotten here a little over two years ago. I was making fast progress, trying to get out into the medical field as fast as I could. I knew I'd have to intern in a hospital this year but it was always good to have _some_ ambition. I was to begin sometime next month.

I kissed Jasper goodbye at the door and walked in with Char to our biochemistry class. We were a little late taking it but I'd put it off due to working with blood and by effect, so had she. We sat down when it felt like a butterfly was poking my shoulder, I looked over to Charlotte to find that she was reading, it wasn't her. I looked back to make eye contact with two girls behind us. One looked to be furiously poking my arm with as much force as she could.

"Hey." I acknowledged raising a brow as she stopped poking. Char looked up at them with a friendly smile.

"Hey there, I'm Charlotte and this here is Katharine. How are you today?" She was friendly as hell and always welcoming. It'd been helpful for when we first met in '58, she made me loosen up and laugh a little without Jasper next to me. They looked both relieved and smiled at her.

"We're doin' fine. Yourselves? I'm Diana and this is Vicki." The one who had been poking me was called Diana then. She seemed to be the more outspoken out of the two, if not a little stubborn.

"We're alright." Charlotte responded merrily, crossed a leg over another. She was wearing jeans while I had on a larger black and white polka dot skirt. I liked how flowy and open it was but it was hard for me to cross my legs that easy.

"Well we're having some trouble up here with the material and we were wondering if you two wanted to have a study group together?" Vicki jumped in this time, her voice was more quiet.

"Oh we'd love too! How's today at 6pm for you two?" I looked over at Charlotte as she clapped her hands together, excited. My face turned to panic as I tried to stop her from inviting two human girls into a house full of carnivorous vampires but it was too late. They agreed it was a marvelous time as the professor walked in.

"Char! You _know_ Jasper and Peter are going to have issues with this." I whispered heatedly into her ear as the professor lectured. She paused and frowned at me.

"Well I can take care of Peter but _you're_ going to have to take care of the Major." She shrugged and looked back at the board. I glared down at the paper with this knowledge, he was _so_ going to punish me for this.

"Katharine..." I felt someone poke my arm hesitantly and turned from the window to make eye contact with...I think his name was Jimmy? James? Something like that. He'd come from a richer family of academics. Its been taking me a while to respond to the new name. Char and everyone else still called me Catharin or Cat or Cattie in Peter's case but the humans knew me as Katharine. The name wasn't that much different but it still took some time to get used too, we'd really only changed it because the name Catharin stuck out these days. It was all Linda's and Rachel's.

"Yes?" I addressed and raised a brow at him. He was average looking for a human boy, he was only 19 years old and his face had him looking more like he was merely 15. His hair was slicked back and he seemed to be attempting to rebel against his parent's with the leather jacket and cigarette sticking out from behind his ear.

"Did you get the notes on Professor Lindenburg's femur lecture?" He motioned with a head-shake towards the professor himself. The German man was around 60 years old, it was always odd to think about the fact I was his senior by at least 30 years. I nodded and shifted the paper towards him, looking back out the window again as the man continued his lecture in the background.

I felt the class bell ring, signaling the end of the class as I picked up my notes and stood. I turned around to get my coat when I felt a slap on the ass, it made me jump and I was about god damn tired of this shit. I spun around with hellfire in my eyes as Jimmy grinned back, his hand outstretched with my notes.

"What the _fuck_ is your problem? Can't keep your hands to yourself, asshole?" I swore as I snatched the notes out of his hand's. The hall was emptying out now as he took in a sharp breath at my language, it was improper and unladylike for me to speak that way around a man in this era but I was frickin' tired. I'd only given consent for _Jasper,_ my _mate,_ to touch me. The humans simply had no god damn respect for me and I wasn't sure if it was because I was female or because I was a thin, tallish, and lanky one. My words almost echoed, it was so empty. Even the professor had left.

"Watch your mouth, bi-" Jimmy had raised his hand to slap me when it was caught. I raised my glare to meet eyes with red's, they were absolutely furious. I cringed as the grip tightened and Jimmy started to cuss instead, looking back at my angry mate.

"What do you think you were doing exactly, boy?" He was angry as _hell_.

"What does it fuckin' look like? She disrespected me." Jimmy motioned back to me as I pursed my lips, if he hit me it'd really only hurt him. I wasn't sure why Jasper was stopping him, there had been times in the past where I'd been slapped or smacked. Being human had it hurting a lot worse than it did nowadays.

"Didn't your momma ever tell you its not right to hit a woman?" Jasper hissed as he got closer to Jimmy's nose with his teeth showing. I heard cracking beginning as Jasper tightened his grip even more.

"Why do you even care, man?" Jimmy was almost pleading now, trying to unwrap Jasper's vice grip from his wrist.

"Because you were about to hit my _wife,_ **boy**." Jasper was just full out snarling as I started to react, trying to move quicker than slower to unwrap Jasper's grip from the child. I could hear Jimmy's heartbeat kick up and smelled his fear through the sweat.

"Baby, he's just human. It would have hurt him more than me." I hung onto Jasper trying to soothe him and talk him out of it. Jasper looked down at me raising a brow, he looked intimidating for most anyways. Though I was tall for the women of _our_ era at 5'4", he was a frickin' giant for the men of the time at 6'3". It didn't seemed to have changed much either.

"Its the _principle_ of it, Cat." He snarled looking down at me then back at human male. I stared to rub his shoulder to attempt to console him, he seemed to be more cut up about this than I was.

"Can we just go home? I want to finish getting the degree _here_ , baby." I pleaded as I stared up at him.

"Fine. But listen here, boy. You _ever_ lay a hand on a woman again and I'll be there to pop it off for you." He first frowned at me then growled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. He pushed the human back, grabbing my bag and rushed us out of the classroom. He was still angry when he tossed me over his shoulder and ran back to the shard home with Peter and Char. I rolled my eyes the whole way back with my arms crossed. I _could_ have just ran along side him but I think he enjoyed it more when I was just over his shoulder, ass up.


	7. Chapter 7

Our home was larger than our last apartment in Pennsylvania, the house itself was rectangular with a grey clapboard siding going all the way up to the attic on the third floor. It's porch was limited to the front door and steps but the windows on the house were stained glass in the top half. It's amenities were more updated than most for 1962, the TV was in color, our purple couch had been brought with us and the kitchen was fully updated with a newer stove. I wasn't sure why we had the nice kitchen when literally _none_ of us was ever going to use it.

If anything Jasper and I used the living room and study room more. The study room itself was filled from the floor to the ceiling with books from our time and after, the civil war era books were his favourite but I'd begun to buy more medical books. We both enjoyed reading together. He slammed the study's big oak door behind us as he sat down on the floor with me in his lap now.

He was angry with himself and with the human, I knew he felt the need to protect me that came from being not just mates but also soul mates. We'd never have children but he still felt that need to protect and comfort me. Honestly, I had the same tendencies. I got incredibly jealous and irritable when women I went to school with or worked with or literally were just around stared at him. It felt silly at times, I knew it'd wear off with time but I'd _just_ gotten him back. I went way too long to not be allowed to get a _little_ protective.

"...Hey." I looked up at him and poked his nose. His eyes left the floor to go to mine, a smile forming.

"Hey Cat." He poked mine back as I frowned and crossed my eyes looking at his finger.

"At least we didn't get kicked out?" I questioned with a shrug as he snorted at me.

"Right. At least we didn't get kicked out." He nodded looking back down at me with a smirk.

"I'm sorry Cat. I just get mad. You know how it is...I'm still waiting for the day I have to get pissed off with a woman hitting on you." He rolled his eyes and looked away as I poked his nose again.

"We both know I do the same thing." I conceded and stuck my tongue out at him. He snorted at my position and flicked it, shaking his head at me and my silliness. I smiled as he laughed. It felt good. Really even just the hint of them getting googly eyes when he came around for me irritated me. I felt like I had to make sure they _knew_ he was mine. I could only imagine the anger he contained for me when men got rowdy with me. I supposed the marking _had_ changed me a little.

"True. Remember last time you caught that woman- what was her name? Bettsy? Blondie?" He looked down at me with a grin.

"Betty." I corrected as I rolled my eyes. She'd checked him out one too many times and asked if he was single. I didn't answer just marched right up to Jasper and pulled him to me for a kiss.

"There we go! Best kiss I'd ever gotten, Cat." He continued on clapping his hands together. He was amused. I _did_ kiss him pretty hard, but I mean he was more than happy to oblige. I looked back up at him as the smile started to shrink. Now was the best time to tell him, he seemed to be in a good mood.

"Also! I figure now is as good as anytime to tell you..." I trailed off, shifting off of his lap as he raised a brow.

"Some how, whenever you say that, something I hate has happened...dunno how that keeps happening." He stated suspicious as he narrowed his eyes at me in a mock glare.

"Well...funny story, baby. We're having some guests! Its two girls from the college." I finished trying to sound excited for it. He stared at me for a second and blinked.

"So...two human girls...are coming here to a house full of people who want to eat them?" He checked, raising a brow. I nodded quickly.

"...and you thought this was a good idea?"He asked slowly. I nodded again, slower this time, a frown forming as he started to snicker.

"This is gonna be great. We can have college girl stew, babe!" He laid down on the floor, laughing to himself silently as I glared down at him.

"Jasper!" I smacked his arm as he rolled over to look at me, his body was still shaking.

"Aw come on. You know it'd be funny if they ran out of here screaming, we could try to start up a haunted house exhibit. Everyone down here already think's we're descendants of Dracula _and_ its October." He started to laugh again on the wood floors as I sighed at the vampire, smiling. He was so old but _such_ a child sometimes. It made me laugh and I did kinda love it about him.

"Can you imagine us being related to that Transylvanian creep? Come on, babe, say it with me. _Bleh-bleh-bleh_!" He sat up, pulling me to him as I snorted at his impersonation of the Romanian Coven. Though I was just more happy he wasn't angry anymore, I loved it when he laughed. The idea of being related to pop culture icons like Bram Stoker's Dracula or a western cowboy seemed to be the funniest for him so far.

It was true, I'd met the men behind it when we took a trip to Europe. I'd always wanted to see the continent and the weather seemed to be perfect for it in the cloudy months of the fall. The two Romanians were very much similar to the stereotypical idea of Dracula and the actual coven themselves. Or more of what was left of the coven...

"Alright alright, enough making fun of a big old coven that fell apart." I kissed his forehead as he laid back down, still laughing to himself. He looked up at me from my lap as I played with his hair.

"...Why do you always love to play with my hair? I've been meaning to ask but I always get distracted by your little hands." He asked softly as he pulled my hands down softly and kissed them. He was sweet when he wanted to be. I shrugged as I went back to twirling little blond and brown curls between my fingers.

"Its soft. It kinda reminds me of the curls my little sister had." I said with a grin as he mock glared up at me. I'd never searched for her because of her death when I was betrothed to Elias. It was like she was there one day then gone the next, she'd passed from my memories quickly when I'd been in mourning.

"So you like it because I remind you of a girl. Gee! Thanks, Cat." He snorted and spoke sarcastically as I sighed and flicked his nose. I started to giggle when he jumped at the contact.

"Noooo. I like it because its soft, silly." I shook my head and corrected him.

" _Sure_. Sure it is." He snickered with a mild smirk as he sat up and kissed my lips softly.

"Babe...I actually have a funny story too...I'm enrolling." He started slowly and looked up at me, his smirk had jumped up to a grin.

" _Why?_ " I scoffed, staring at him. He scooched a little closer to me and took one of my hands as I frowned at him.

"Today's really only proved to me that its time for me to do so. I can take other classes and do whatever but it'll be much easier if we're on the campus at the same time." He explained slowly, putting a hand to my cheek.

He was trying to get me to understand it was in my best interests and truth be told, sometimes I missed him during the day. Char said that in a few decades, we'd be less attached at the hip. She explained it was just because we were newly mated.

"You understand?" He asked as he started to pull me a little closer to him. His eyes were on my lips and I had a feeling where this was going. I nodded feeling the heat build up as I leaned closer to him, I could really only see his face this well because of our improved night vision.

"I understand, Jazzy." I whispered with a smile as he met my eager lips in the middle. It felt like it'd been a while with how furiously we were kissing and stripping each other of our clothes but it'd actually only been maybe 12 hours to a day tops.

His hand slide up my shirt, pulling the buttons up as he went while I had one in his hair and I was gripping it. He was kissing me hard on the lips, as we went. His shirt was off and I had my hand unbuttoning his pants when I froze right as Jasper did. There were knocks on the front door. He looked down at me, his hand paused.

"Its humans." He gritted his teeth and we both moved quickly to change clothes. I sighed when he moved faster, getting downstairs to open the door and forcing me to walk down the stairs at a human speed.

"Oh! Uh. We must have the wrong house. Sorry sir." I could hear Vicki's voice speak nervously as I facepalmed. He wasn't even saying anything, I was nervous already but I could feel myself calming down.

"You have the right one!" I yelled out as Jasper opened the door wider, he was nearly emotionless except for the twitch of the corner of a lip. He found them funny. Diana and Vicki were apparently quite taken with Jasper as they stared at him.

"Evening." He nodded his head in their directions as I _finally_ made it to the bottom of the stairs, he stood next to me with a hand on my hip. I'd began to wonder where Char was.

"Welcome! I'm sure Charlotte will be along soon!" I presented awkwardly as the two girls shuffled inside our home. They looked awkward and out of place, ungraceful and nervous in the den of vampires. I heard 2 set of foot steps come from the back door as I looked at Jasper, he gave me a slight nod. They were back.

"Um. You know me already, this is Jasper." I robotically motioned to him as he nodded to them again. It wasn't the bow he'd had when we first met but I didn't think it was entirely proper these days anyways.

"Your brother?" Diana asked hopefully as she took in our conservative stance. I felt an eye twitch come on as Jasper gently squeezed my hip.

"Husband, ma'am." He corrected quietly. His accent wasn't as strong as it had been but it was obvious he'd been raised in the south. Their mouths formed Os of understanding as I felt the pride swelling. He started to smile as he shook his head, luckily Charlotte and Peter came in to distract the humans.

"Here we are! This is Peter, my husband. Welcome to the house, girls! We have some tea and cookies in the kitchen." Char was definitely the more personable person out of all of us. We'd come with checkered pasts and found it difficult to deal with humans outside of norm. I raised a brow at her tea and cookies and briefly wondered if she knew how to make either.

Jasper led me to the kitchen, I could smell the stench that was human food but I didn't understand how she'd gotten it. I looked quickly at Char, she was just grinning, happy with her spread. Peter looked pacified as he leaned on the chair next to her. The two girls sat awkwardly at the table, eating small bites and looking around at everyone.

Eventually the boys left and the studying began, it was only like 4 hours later when the two humans excused themselves out. It was apparently way past their bed time. I'd forgotten humans needed sleep entirely, Jasper and I were up all the time and never truly felt tired. The girls had eventually loosened up under the influences of Char and I, even with Peter and Jasper discussing old war strategies behind us in the living room.


	8. Chapter 8

"That wasn't too bad. Right?" Char supplied hopefully after the two humans had left. I looked back at her and shrugged, I mean they hadn't ran out screaming so that was in our favor...I guess.

"Little disappointed that they didn't run out calling us all Dracula." Jasper snorted from beside us. I rolled my eyes at the idea and dismissed it with a hand gesture.

"That's silly." I stated and turned, going up the stairs to the study room. I was between reading or at temping to draw something. Jasper beat me there, electing to pick up his guitar. He'd bought it a few years back but hadn't really studied it until these days. He was generally faster than me in most circumstances.

I'd found that while he was good at the instrument, I still felt that the piano or violin so much prettier sounding. He knew it and agreed but stuck with the guitar, even going so far as to claim that once he was done learning, it'd sound better than either of those. I laughed when he said it but it seemed like he genuinely meant to impress me with his musical skills.

"Jazzy?" I broke the comfortable silence between us, looking up at him from my Robert Frost. He stopped strumming and raised a brow at me, waiting for me to respond. My bare feet had been tucked under his thigh as I balanced the book on my knees. His shoulders were relaxed as he propped his own feet on the coffee table in front of the couch we were settled on. Really only the street lights were up at 3:30 in the morning and the table's glossy coat shined back at me with their lights.

"I'm going to have to go on a hunting trip soon. It might take a day this time instead of a few hours." I sighed and watched his mouth form into a frown.

"I don't like the idea of you gone that long, Cat." He replied warily. I nodded, mirroring the worry over the idea in his face. It wasn't my favourite thing either.

"I need to hunt eventually and the cities have expanded so much there's just no wildlife around here anymore." I explained as he nodded slowly. We knew it had to happen, just didn't like it. Honestly, I'd been putting it off for a little while and the effects were hitting me hard. It had been difficult to not snap the girl's necks while _they_ were here. I can't imagine in a hospital.

"Fine. But if you're not back by the next day on the very same _hour_ , I'm coming after you and its not going to be pretty. Deal?" He asked setting out a hand for me to shake. I smiled and nodded at him, that should be more than enough time.

"I'll head out this weekend." I shook his hand softly.

"Don't make me worry, Catharin." He stilled our hands and kissed my knuckles softly, looking me in the eyes.

"No way." I dismissed his anxiety with a smile. He returned it slowly, choosing to squeeze my calf softly before going back to his guitar.

Diana and Vicki had been a little odd around Char and I after the study date. It seemed very much apparent that we were incredibly odd as far as people went. They would make small talk with us but I'd often hear whispers about us having things ranging from eating disorders to a terrible skin condition. Though they found it even more odd when they realised two young couples lived together in the suburbs.

These whispers only increased when Jasper enrolled, Char herself was preparing to drop out essentially. She and Peter felt it was time for them to move on to another place, always nomads at heart. The semester was almost over anyways, only a week left really. Final exams were happening quickly, every class could have two or three. Honestly I was just going to miss having another girlfriend around. Female vampires were rare with it came to making friends for other females.

"Bye Char." I hugged her feeling a mix of thirst and the attempt to remain neutral with the human families around us. She pulled back with a sympathetic smile as she took in my dark amber eyes.

"Bye sweetie. I'll see ya around, I'm sure." She patted me on the arm and we waiting for her mate to stop chatting with mine. I smiled at her tiredly, I was run down trying to stop myself from hurting anyone or anything the last week or so. Jasper had been there every step of the way to remind me why I couldn't kill everyone in the lecture halls. He kept reminding me of my goals and aspirations of medicine. I needed to work on this a looot.

Peter gave me a pat on the back as Jasper wrapped his arms around my waist. I was standing there with my muscles tightly bound, I was waiting to spring off to find something to kill. It felt like I hadn't in _years_ when it'd really only been a week or two.

Eventually the two finally left and I gave Jasper a kiss then ran out of the back door. It was 230 in the morning and I kept on running without fear of any humans seeing me. I ran and ran and ran until the sun had come back up under heavy cloud cover. I'd _finally_ come to a wooded area. It was here I felt like humans wouldn't be and let my instincts roam, completely letting myself go.

I inhaled, there were bugs, butterflies, birds, rabbits...and something else. It smelled delicious. I _wanted_ it. I felt my eyes rip open as I turned and started running in its direction. Eventually I came to a meadow of sorts. I approached slowly, unsure of what it was really. It just smelled like everything I loved combined into one body, I couldn't stop myself from crouching and waiting to pounce as I got closer.

I looked up over the bushes and found a...woman? A pale woman. She was just sitting there in the meadow, writing something down into her little black leather book. Why did she smell so good? I'd smelled humans before, some were unsightly while others were okayish. This one smelled divine, I was caught between ripping her throat out and everything I'd been working towards as a doctor.

I took in a deep breath of her scent and stood, I was going to just walk out slowly and keep on running when I came to the other side of the meadow. I could do this, it'd be fine. This woman would keep her life and I would keep my clean record. I almost wish Jasper or Charlotte or _someone_ was around to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. It was almost nightfall by the time I'd gotten one step into the meadow. That was when I was tackled from the side, it felt like a loaded gun had latched itself into my torso as we flew through the air.

I began to screech out of pain and terror when I felt the canines sink into my neck, back and stomach all at the same time. It smelled awfully and I wasn't sure how I hadn't realised that every thing around here smelled like _that._ I was too consumed by my own inner battle with thirst to actually realize where I was or that it seemed like things were marked by someone else over here.

"QUIET YOURSELF, LEECH." I felt a deep voice yell into my ear as I felt myself become paralyzed with fear. I was dropped out of the beast's mouth and felt the mossy dirt beneath me. I'd never dealt with anything but vampires and humans, these people seemed to be a mix of both. I looked back at the giant wolf as he transformed back into a tanned man.

He was glaring down at me as I stared back at him. His eyes weren't friendly and his posture was tense, he was on guard around me. I paused as I thought back to what he'd said, Leech? He knew what I was? How?

"Y-you know what I am?" I asked hesitantly as I attempted to look up at what seemed to be the leader. He nodded still silent, still glaring at me from under his headdress. I tried to stand to explain what I was doing here when I heard a growl and with a flurry of action I was wedged under someone's foot with my face in the ground. I froze again, trying to not push my luck this time. I wanted to go back to my mate, _now._

"We should kill her, tear off the limbs and burn them." The glaring one spoke with hatred in his voice. Oh my goodness. I was going to die. I could feel the fear and anguish hit me, overriding any thirst I felt. I was officially terrified. They knew what I was and they knew how to easily kill me. I tried to scream up from the dirt when the foot on me just pushed harder. I felt my body begin to shake with invisible sobs as I realized this could easily be the end of my life right now.

"No. She may be of the Cullens. Her eyes were gold, not blood." The leader spoke softly, I could feel eyes on me and vaguely wondered what they were saying when the leader yelled something in a language foreign to me to another. It felt like hours had passed as I laid there, bawling. I was going to die by wolf people in a forest far far away from Jasper or my home. How did I get myself into this?

"Yes?" This voice was tense but also pretty sounding. I heard sets of feet come through, it sounded like 5 people but they were so soft it seemed they were of my own kind.

"Is this one of yours?" The angry one asked as I felt him haul me out of the ground by my long hair. I made eye contact with a tired looking man. He had collar-length blond hair and at 6'2" he had a well-toned medium frame his eyes were gentle as he took my appearance in.

I stared at him the longest before taking in a dark haired woman and then pale copper haired man, a blonde woman and finally a larger burly guy. They were all vampires but they also all had golden eyes like me. He frowned for a second as he slowly shook his head, no. The woman next to him began to frown and furrow her brow as she started to whisper to him. I could hear things like 'Save her' 'don't let them' but I wound up shoving it all out. I was doomed.

"Wait." The blonde man spoke again, this time a little more quickly. He was holding up a hand to the man gripping my hair roughly. I closed my eyes, my body was still shaking when I heard the growl come from the men next to me. There were so many of them and only one of me, I was barely a fighter anyways. I had no reason to fight these people, I'd almost tried to eat one of the humans here.

"We're not here for you to _change_ your mind, leech. Is she apart of yours or not?!" The leader bellowed into my ears as I felt like maybe I should begin to pray. Maybe now was my retribution for killing that man all those years ago. I could feel the others begin to take hold of my arms, they were close to tearing at the strength this men had.

"She's new to the area! She doesn't know!" The brunette was speaking now, she sounded worried and full of concern for me, a perfect stranger. I could hear her take a soft step forward. The men holding my arms pulled a little tighter with every word and I broke down crying again, it seemed I was going to die crying in the forest away from everyone I knew and loved.


	9. Chapter 9

I thought it'd come from the wolves next to me but I realized it wasn't when the angry man let go of my hair with a shout in his language. I felt arms wrap around me as there was a sudden flurry of action, the wolves started to panic as the Cullens took a few steps back. I could hear familiar snarls and threats being issued. I turned my head up to see scars and curls. I'd never been so happy to see either of those things in my whole life.

It was Jasper. He'd finally come for me. I wrapped my arms around him, shaking still as I took in deep breaths of his scent. The wind went past us quickly, it seemed we were moving away from the sight now. He was shaking himself but it seemed more with anger and worry as he looked down at me. He'd jumped up high enough to the point that we were out of sight from a human eye, I could smell the pine trees all around us.

"Cat? Catharin? Look at me, baby." His voiced reeked of worry and anxiety as he started to smooth out my hair. I was still sobbing, unable to fully take in a breath to speak to him. I finally stilled myself enough to actually respond.

"Jazzy. I-I'm so sorry." I took in a breath and said it all at once, I was still panicking but I could feel his anger and fear hitting me from his side as well as mine. He'd hushed me and just hugged me to him. After a minute or so he started to hum and sway with me. I was slowly calming down, I wasn't going to die. I had Jasper back. I was okay for now. I didn't even know why I was apologizing? For scaring him? For scaring myself? For almost dying?

"Hello?" I heard a feminine voice speak from what seemed to be below us.

"What do _you_ want?" Jasper spun around to glare at the woman.

"To talk and make you two an offer." She was hesitant as I heard Jasper snarl. I shook my head at him and pulled away a little, she seemed more friendly than anything else. This was when I realized that we were actually balanced on the branch of an older pine tree. It felt odd to look down at the brunette vampire below us.

"I couldn't help but notice that your eyes were like ours." She replied softly and motioned to us. She was joined by the blonde man. I nodded as I wiped the venom away from my eyes. If I still had a heartbeat, it would have been slowing down by now.

"Would it be possible for you two to come on down here?" She asked with her arms up as Jasper growled. He didn't trust anyone right now and I could tell by the way he was trying desperately to wrap his body over mine when we came down the branches. He landed first, opening his arms for my to jump down. I felt it silly, so instead I jumped down next to him. It seemed he didn't appreciate that as he glared at me when he wrapped an arm tightly around my shoulders.

"They're just so cute." I heard her murmur to her mate. I raised a brow at this, it wasn't something I'd ever heard before. I was used to 'weird' or 'silent' or 'over protective' or even 'terrifying' but not... _Cute_.

"Anyways, I'm Esme. This is my husband, Carlisle. All of us in our coven all feed on animals in this territory in order to live in peace with the humans." Esme started slowly, she seemed to be taking in our appearances with soft eyes. She striked me as the motherly type, like I had been before I was changed. Compassionate and empathetic for all creatures and people.

"So does she! Why would your guard dogs attack _her_ then?" Jasper hissed angrily at the couple, focusing more on the man. Carlisle frowned and looked towards his wife as she began to explain.

"Yes well, this isn't _all_ our territory, you see. We share it with the shapeshifters. Your mate happened to wander onto their territory." She nodded towards me. I nodded back, this made sense. It explained why it all smelled so _differently._

"And your _offer_?" Jasper still sounded distrusting as he took her and the male in. He hadn't spoken since the meeting with said shapeshifters, if anything he seemed to be analyzing Jasper and I.

"Um, well. My husband, Carlisle, and I "adopt" newer vampires into our coven or our _family_ via the diet. People like us are so rare to find that when we do, its an open invitation. I-I mean you'd have to make some changes but _her,_ she could easily..." Esme had begun to get nervous with her speech, trailing off mid sentence as Jasper stared at her. He was watching her for any signs of lying, I noticed the posture and remembered when he'd done the same to me.

"Maybe you'd rather discuss this in our home. I work in the local hospital in a town nearby here, we can get her some blood at the same time." The man spoke up sensing his wife's distress of sorts as she stuttered. He was rubbing her shoulder as her hands wrung together.

"No can do. Shes in university." Jasper stated quickly with a head shake.

"For?" Carlisle asked curiously as he took me in fully now. I was sure I had leaves in my hair with grass stains and dirt all over me. He seemed to be the studious type going by his sudden interest in my own studies.

"Medicine. I wish to become a healer." I replied shakily. I could feel Jasper's eyes on me, he was worried still. I could tell from his grip on my shoulders and the fact he kept rubbing them.

"Why?" Carlisle took a step closer, he was hesitant but Jasper seemed to only tense. He didn't growl which I was thankful for.

"When I was human, I healed people. I've wanted to continue, I mean I've found I have an ability to heal humans anyways." I explained still shaky. Carlisle tilted his head, a smile forming.

"One needs restrain for that these days. I can teach you that restrain even better than what you have now. I can teach you at the hospital even, how close are you to finishing the degree?" Carlisle spoke quickly and I could feel little blossoms of hoping beginning. I really wanted to finish the degree and the idea of learning under the wing of another vampire who seemed to be quite a bit older was exciting.

"I'm in my third year." I informed him. He nodded, walking even closer now to me. Jasper seemed to allow it, still I could feel his hand tensing on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt her. I just want to talk to her. Shall we lead the way to our home while you take some time to think about it?" He was addressing Jasper at first as he raised his arms into the air and looked between us. Jasper looked over at me, we made eye contact for a second before I nodded.

"Fine." He seemed to sigh as he looked back at Carlisle. Carlisle smiled and took Esme's hand as he started to travel through the woods, we followed quietly. Jasper was watching for any signs of dishonesty on the other vampire's parts.

Their home was pretty but it seemed to be rather modern for the 60s. Half of it was entirely clear windows revealing the furniture inside, while the other was black and grey siding. The forest was thicker around the house and it seemed obvious that they didn't want anyone wondering onto their property.

I stood awkwardly next to Jasper in their living room. Jasper was tense, his hands coiled into fist behind his back as it stood entirely straight.

"What are your names?"Esme smiled but her posture said nervous. She was warily standing in the doorway between the living room and kitchen, it seemed the kitchen itself was as updated as ours back home. They were obviously well off here.

"Jasper and Catharin Whitlock, ma'am." Jasper responded slowly, still watching for any sign that they would hurt us. Carlisle came back quickly enough with a hospital packet of blood, handing it to me.

Jasper took it first, inspecting it and sniffing it. I sighed as he checked over the bag and Carlisle watched with a small smile. Eventually Jasper turned to me and nodded, handing it back. I rolled my eyes and began to slowly drink it. The burn in my throat had become more obvious as we stood there but it'd finally disappeared.

"Now then, Catharin, as I was saying earlier. I can teach you all there is to know about medicine as you get your license." Carlisle nodded as he looked at Esme who was watching me with a motherly smile forming. She seemed to have the need to take in all the misfits she could judging by the vampires earlier.

"And how exactly could you pull that off, Carlisle?" Jasper addressed the man with both curiousity and distrust. I was starting to feel at ease with the two but it was obvious Jasper was still completely on guard.

"She'd live here as our daughter or niece or whatever you'd like and at the same time we would enroll you in the hospital's teaching program under my care." Carlisle looked at Jasper first before turning to me. I nodded slowly, thinking. It seemed they had a relatively large coven with the ability to protect each other. Not only that but it also seemed that they'd lived here for quite a while. The idea of staying in one place for more than two years was nice.

"Of course we come here every 10 years or so and when we left, you two would come with us. You can even meet the rest of the family if you'd like before deciding." Esme added in hopefully. I wasn't sure why she wanted us here so badly. Jasper looked down at me with a brow raised, he was asking if I wanted too. I knew he'd move here and adjust for me and I was starting to think the idea was a pretty good one.

I nodded as he sighed and looked back to the couple. Esme looked hopeful as ever while Carlisle was smiling at her actions, it seemed they had mostly relaxed now that Jasper wasn't about to attack anyone on my account.

"Rosalie, Emmett and Edward! Get your butts over here." Esme called out randomly. Jasper tensed as the three vampires showed themselves. There was a blonde who looked like she'd come from money, the big burly man and the melancholic looking red head.

"Well! We'll leave you all to chat. Come on, dear." Esme grabbed Carlisle's hand as pulled him out of the room to god knows where.

"Rosalie Hale." The blonde stepped forward to shake my hand as the guy behind her started to grin. She was looking me up and down with narrowed, she seemed like she was almost jealous.

"Catharin Whitlock." I shook her hand firmly as I stared at her. She let go and back away slowly, she was cautious but felt more confident around the big man. He bounced along as he took a few steps closer.

"Emmett McCarty. Buddy you look like you've got a rod up your ass, does it hurt?" Emmett teased as he leaned closer to Jasper cracking an even larger grin as he looked between us for a response. I looked over at Jasper for his reaction, at first I was worried when I saw the twitches but then the smile formed.

"Keeps me fast and strong." I felt instant relief as Jasper began to return Emmett's grin. His posture changed from being so tense to at least his shoulders relaxing.

"Oh yeah? Wanna put it to the test?" Emmett challenged looked at him with a competitive grin forming.

"Oh yeah. I could kick your ass anytime." Jasper responded jovially. He was enjoying himself finally. I grinned at his confidence and watched Rosalie start to smile at what seemed to be her mate.

"You name the time and place and we'll go for it, man." Emmett slapped Jasper on the back in a brotherly way.

"We'll see. Got some decisions to make first with Cat." He nodded towards me as I watched the exchange with fascination. Jasper returned it, treating him like an old friend. He'd finally relaxed it seemed. The sight honestly made me smile. I was terrified he'd never let go and we'd have to let this opportunity for protection and maybe even a ridiculously twisted idea of family pass us by.

"Edward Cullen." The redhead came up quietly, looking between us. His eyes lingered on mine as I took in the look of what seemed to be turmoil. I nodded towards him, unsure of what to say to the man.

"Oh by the way, watch what you think. Eddie boy here can read your thoughts. He gets moody as hell about it sometimes too." Emmett leaned on Jasper's shoulder and motioned to Edward who glared back. Oh good.

"Emmett." Edward hissed the bigger vampire as I raised a brow.

"Oh please, hes moody all the time." Rosalie called out behind the three boys as she walked over closer to me. She was wearing heels and had dressed much better than I.

"Well if its any consolation, Jazzy reads emotions and he can manipulate them." I nodded my head towards Jasper, he nodded back.

"Oh man, thats awesome. Can you make me feel super mellow?" Emmett asked sounding excited. Jasper raised a brow but nodded. We all watched as Emmett's large grin relaxed along with his eyelids. A few minutes later his grin jumped back up to what it had been. I felt a tap on my shoulder, distracting me from the boy's conversation. It was Rosalie.

"Want to go walk around and chat? I've not been around another female vamp outside of Esme for a _while_." She motioned back to the front door with a small smile. I looked at Jasper then the door and nodded. If we were seriously thinking about living here I wanted to get to know her at least a little I supposed. I followed her out the door, at first we walked in silence, I wasn't much of a talker anyways.

"So where you from, originally I mean?" She asked quietly, taking in my appearance.

"Savannah, Georgia. My family settled there." I responded just as quiet. She nodded at my answer, thinking.

"I was born in Rochester, New York. I was changed there too." She said her own side without making me ask her.

"Was it nice there when you were human?" I asked curiously. I'd not been up to the north whatsoever when the colonial era was still a thing, I stayed closer to home.

"Well it was for me. I came from a rich family and I was the prettiest girl in town." She grinned at the memories. I smiled in return, I was never known for beauty and the thought was saddening but also fine with me. I was known for something that I felt was more fulfilling.

"How about for you?" She looked back at me as the forest went by us slowly. I smiled as I thought about Elias and our home. It was nice. I'd loved it all.

"It was nice for me. I was married, pregnant, and happy." I replied with a sad smile. Nearly a decade later and I could talk freely about that night without bursting into tears. It felt freeing in itself. She went silent for a second as I felt her eyes on me, I looked up to meet her eyes.

"...were you still pregnant when you were changed?" She asked me hesitantly, I paused for a second and nodded slowly.

"8 months. I lost the baby and hit the road. Couldn't face my husband like I was." I confirmed with a melancholic voice. It was depressing but I could still say it.

"I'm so sorry, Catharin." She'd stopped and put her hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her from the ground with a sad smile and shrugged. She was frowning and looked genuinely sympathetic.

"At the time I thought was God's way of punishing me. Now I've just accepted that if there is one, he's cruel. But hey! I met Jasper right after, hes really been the only saving grace I've had since then." I turned away from her as we continued to walk.

"How about you? Any kids?" I asked looking at the ground. She didn't really seem the type but I thought it was polite to at least ask.

"No. I was about to get married when I was changed by Carlisle. I've always wanted children but...instead I got a rapist for a groom and a barren immortality." She laughed cruelly. I nodded, I felt the same about the barren part.

"I'm just happy I've got Emmett and Esme and Carlisle, even Edward. They're my family, even when Esme can be an overly protective mother but you know, I think you two would really fit in here too. It'd be nice to have another women around my age." I looked up at her, she was smiling at me softly. We'd had a new understanding of each other now, the tense posture and subtle signs of jealousy were gone. She was friendly.

"Well we'll see. Jasper would have to make some changes for it and all." I replied with a smile and shrug. She nodded at that, it was true. He would have to make a lot of changes and uproot his lifestyle for me.

"I think he'd do it." She stated with some hope in her voice. I knew he would but I wasn't sure if I wanted to ask him to do that. I felt bad in a way, he'd moved all over for me.


	10. Chapter 10

"Have a good walk with her?" Jasper whispered in my ear I glanced up at him as he smiled down at me. We were cuddled up to each other in our home in Seattle. We had a tendency to sit on the wrap around couch simply because it let Jasper lay his full body out with me in between his legs. I always enjoyed putting my head on his chest with his arms around me. Somehow it felt safer.

The Cullens offered to have us stay with them, they'd even gotten an open room that Esme was now set upon decorating in some fashion. We'd still declined, wanting to discuss in peace. I didn't want to pressure him into this anyways and being there felt like there was an expectation we'd stay.

"It was...eye opening." I replied softly. I wasn't sure how to phrase the question of asking him to give up humans and move with me to their home. I sat up and turned to look him in the eyes when I opened my mouth to start, he beat me to it.

"Cat, I think moving there would be a great opportunity for us." Jasper spoke quickly and watched my facial expressions after. I shut my mouth and began to grin.

"I was just going to say that. I mean it comes with a lot of benefits." I added on and he nodded vigorously.

"Theres the stability, connections, protection, you'd be safe and sound and hopefully happy. It'll be easier with the lack of killing. I know we can't have a family like you've wanted, and don't try to say you're fine with just the two of us, but this is still a pretty good trade off. I mean hell, if we ever get tired of it, we can start our own coven like that." He agreed as I mirrored his nodding. This felt like a good move for us and I snorted at his comment about just the two of us.

I knew he was fine with it and even thrived sometimes but I longed for the familial bonds. Mostly a just family of our own but I'd take being apart of someone else's. If anything I felt like Char was my sister-in-law most of the time. It'd take some time to really get into it and find our niche but it was possible.

"I agree completely, Jazzy. We'll move." I kissed his cheek softly, he beamed back down at me. He was apparently just as worried as I was, it was almost sweet. I laid my head back down on his chest, playing with his fingers.

"Good good. To be totally honest, I was terrified today. It was like you were just expecting to die right there on the spot. Like you'd given up. I mean I could _feel_ it, you giving up." Jasper sighed as he kissed the top of my head. I seemed to have a habit of freaking him the fuck out all the time. Honestly I had a habit of freaking myself out too.

Though I _had_ given up hope when Carlisle said I wasn't one of his. It seemed like that was the only chance of being saving I'd have from the angry shape shifting men. There were a lot more of them than there were of me and I somehow didn't think Jasper would be able to track me down that easy or that fast.

"Well I didn't think you'd find me that fast." I shrugged looking away from my mate.

"I see the level of faith you have in your husband, Catharin Whitlock." Jasper teased me with a small smile.

"And I see the level of faith you had in your wife, Jazzy. Admit it, you left to look for me earlier than the time we agreed on." I grinned back at him and poked him in the chest. He caught my hand and kissed the extended pointer finger.

"I may have. I'm not intending on ever findin' out what would of have happened if I hadn't. Felt like an angry Tarzan coming out of those trees. Just felt your fear and then I _saw_ that mutt yanking your hair and went bat shit, Cat." I cringed at the memory, it was still fresh and I felt it would be for a while longer in my mind. It was a scary scary scaaary time.

"Either way, from now on we'll be hunting together." I nodded with a smile. We would be for a long time.

"Yeah, you get to show me the ropes again." He gently shook my shoulders trying to get me excited about this. I snorted and nodded at that, I would be.

In the next few weeks Jasper signed me out of the school in Seattle and got our papers in order for an internship in Carlisle's hospital. As he did that I focused on getting a moving company to pack up our books and my couch. I was hanging onto that couch. I swear to god that if I ever died, that couch would be there with me. The vampiric equivalent of my grandchildren would have that couch in my non-existent will.

"Seriously, Cat? The _couch_?" Jasper asked incredulously from next to me. I jumped a little out of fright, I _had_ been a little skittish since the hunting incident. I nodded vigorously.

"Yes. Now go grab your stupid instrument from upstairs. I didn't think you'd want them to mess with it." I motioned to the stairs as he speed walked up them, it was the fastest we could get around humans. Of which there were _tons_ all over the place.

"Holy fuck. CATHARIN! The books are missing! _All_ of them." Jasper zoomed back down the stairs to me, yelling my name as I raised a brow.

"Of course they're missing. We're taking them with us, silly. The movers have just already gotten to them." I started to grin as the panicked look on his face dissipated into a bashful look.

"Right." He nodded and clasped his hands behind his back with his guitar on his side as he looked over at the movers. We had _a lot_ of books. It was taking them several large boxes for all of them. We were closer to moving and it seemed that the Cullens were ready, Jasper had called them earlier to let them know.

Esme was delighted with it, she said she was looking forward to two new members. The idea _was_ unnerving at first but after a century of loneliness, the vampiric mother idea wasn't so bad after all. However I wasn't sure of what to do about a mother in general. I'd longed to be one for years but my own died early on. The idea was alien to me and I think it was the same for Jasper.

"Ready?" I looked over at him, shaking me from my thoughts. His arm was extended, I placed my hand in his and we started to speed walk towards the Cullen's. In all actuality we should have taken a car but once we got to the more wooded area, we'd run and beat any car there.

We'd been living with the Cullens for close to a few years now. Our room was filled with a useless bed, my couch and wall to wall shelves full of our books. Jasper had begun to hang up some of his own memorabilia on the dark green walls. Things he'd carried around with him that came from his past like, his ranking from the confederate army, boots, and his jacket. I was laying the bed on my stomach with my arms crossed in front of me, watching him set up a stand for his guitar.

I felt odd with the antiques looking back at me, it reminded me of the day I'd met him and the weeks prior to it. He didn't hang any photos or remembrances of his home. He rarely spoke of it and sometimes I felt he didn't remember much of his childhood or his later years except for me. He'd always claimed that looking back and seeing me glitter in the distance was his clearest memory. The next was our letters and the moment he decided he was going to propose. We shared the sentimental values of those as I kept the letters he sent while he kept my letters. Really I wore the only strand he had left back to his family.

His mother's ring. It was supposed to be passed from each woman in the family down the line but as Jasper's sister never made it out of the womb, it was given to him. He'd kept it as an heirloom and gave it to me when we were married. It was currently my wedding ring and I tried my best to take care of it.I personally had nothing of my past up on the walls. All I'd had before was a ripped maternity dress and there was no way in hell I was putting that up, I'd thrown it away the first chance I got.

"Cat..." He finished with it and looked back at me I raised a brow back as I laid there watching him. He was fascinating sometimes. I could hear Rose in the garage and Emmett in front of the TV downstairs. Edward was in his own room across the hall, he was listening to his records.

It was a peaceful sunny day in the house today. Carlisle had given me the day off to spend with Jazzy as he was off from school. It felt odd to have my husband in a modern day high school but it was helping him over come his thirst issues. I'd probably enroll when I needed a break from medicine. That seemed more likely to happen next move though, where ever we moved to or the move after. I wasn't sure. I was determined to get through the process for a license to say I'd worked throughly for before Jasper started to have them made for me.

"We should take a photo together. We don't have one from our wedding day or anything so why not?" He finished with his idea as I propped my head up on my arm and looked at him.

"Where'd this idea come from?" I asked gently as I started to draw invisible circles on his thigh.

"Well if anything I'd enjoy having something with you in it up on these walls." He shrugged and nodded towards the one empty spot left on the walls. It felt cozy in here if nothing else. We had a window seat that I knew I was more likely to use than him. I had in the past while he simply sat under neath me on the floor.

"Alright." I nodded and smiled at him as he laid back with his head near my feet. He was still for a second before he began to blow softly on my feet, trying to tickle me. I giggled and rolled away.

"I have a camera!" Esme called out from downstairs. Jasper paused and snorted as I froze as well, I happened to freeze right as I went over the edge. I landed with a thump and heard his chuckles as I picked myself up.

"Woman can definitely hear." He muttered as he stood and held out his hand for me to take. We walked slowly for vampires down the stairs and came face to face with a grinning Esme.

She looked like the typical proud parent on their child's wedding day holding up her camera and snapping pictures as we literally just walked down the stairs. I'd gotten more used to her acting like a mother to the coven. It was actually rather comforting, at one point I felt that I'd almost lost control in the hospital and Jazz was at school when I ran home. I ended up hugging her while she told me it was okay. She kept reminding me how well I was doing and that I didn't hurt anyone. She even told Carlisle to watch out, just in case.

"Aw, you two should at least dress nicely. Rosalie, dear, could you at least do her hair?" Esme called out to Rose as I facepalmed, I _hated_ when people touched my hair. Rose turned the corner with a grin as I glared at Jasper for his idea. He was snickering to himself when she pulled me away.

"Don't laugh, mister. You're changing clothes. You've worn that outfit for 2 days in a row now." Esme pointed up the stairs as Jasper's grin fell away. I started to snicker at that point. I told him he was going to have to change eventually, just proves me right!

Rose decided that an updo style was best for me. My hair was straight and long from my youth as a human, I never found the time to sit down and sharpen a blade to cut it all back then. Instead of curling it or anything, she merely twisted it up and stuck in a few bobby pins, letting some of the shorter hairs near my face hang down.

"...and you're sure you won't let me put any make up on you?" I frowned as she asked and looked at my features in the mirror. I had thin lips, almond shaped eyes and a dainty little nose. The venom had changed the nose mostly for me, the eyes and mouth stuck around from my humanity. My cheekbones never showed as a human but again, the venom can change _a lot_ to make you appear more enticing for your intended prey.

"Uuuggggh. Fine, Rose. Only lipstick though!" I allowed and held a finger up to show I meant it. She looked excited as she pulled out the lipstick drawer she had going. They were all different colours and shapes, some were silvery while others were a matte black colour. She choose one and looked back at me.

"Now pucker." She commanded patiently as I stared at her and furrowed my brow.

"What the hell does that mean?" I stared at her as she looked incredulously back at me.

"Oh my goodness." She shook her head at my ignorance and pushed my lips together, drawing the stick of colour on them carefully.

"There we go!" She pulled back and exclaimed sounding excited. I looked back at myself and was almost taken aback, my lips were now the highlight of my face. They were a deep matte redish plum colour. It was almost distracting from how much it matched my skirt. Well! This was going to shock Jasper.

I stood and walked out with her to the stairs where Jasper had changed into a new vest and long sleeved shirt. He'd rolled the sleeves up to his elbows this time, it showed a lot of his scars. He looked up from his conversation with Esme as she smoothed out his brown vest's wrinkles and lint and stared at me.

"Wow..." He whispered and reached up to touch my lips. I heard a snap and a flash of light as Rose slapped his hand before he could touch it. He rubbed the back and glared at her.

"No touching. You'll smudge it." Rose declared and went back to her car in the garage. She loved that thing and we all knew it, sometimes Emmett hung around but often enough she kicked him out to have "some quality time" with the car.

"I know! Its so _red_." I jumped up and clapped my hands, I was excited about the red. It seemed like I had an actual top lip now. His look of awe slowly turned into a soft eyed smirk. I knew that look. We'd wind up rolling around on the forest floor in a little bit.

"Alright, now now. Look back at me and smile at least a little. You can have fun with it later." I looked back as Esme watched us with a knowing smile. She held up the camera and the same flash of light and snapping noise sounded as I was nearly blinded looking into the lens.

"Good grief. What's _in_ there? A fog light?" I started to rub my eyes, leaning on Jasper for balance as Esme laughed. I looked back up to see her shaking her head.

"No, close though." She smiled back at us and motioned for us to go as we stood there, awkwardly waiting.

"I just wanted one. It'll go into the family album, you two can go now." She turned and walked back to her hobby room of sorts. She had clippings from home style magazines and a dark room in the back. This seemed to be one of her many hobbies among quilting, interior decorating, cooking, and apparently scrap-booking.

I turned right as Jasper swooped my legs out from under me and started to run towards the forest, we we weren't used to banging and having literally every other person in the house hear us. I giggled as he nipped at my exposed shoulders. I didn't mind running in his arms, he felt like he wouldn't drop me.


	11. Chapter 11

When the late 70s hit, we wound up moving back to the house in Alaska. This house was similar to the one in Forks but instead it was _all_ windows on every side. Esme thought it'd be fine as we were surrounded by thick woods on all four sides. Jasper was a little thrown off by being able to see all sides of the house but ended up appreciating the ability to be so far away from humans, I was taking this move to get my license.

I was close. I'd already finished my internship and residency. I was excited with each patient I got to treat, often enough I'd give them a placebo, curing them myself. Carlisle always requested to watch me to make sure I hadn't left anything behind that would give me away. Eventually when he found I was doing fine, he'd only supervise every other patient then once in a while. I just had to take the board exam and pass to start practicing everything. I was very much excited.

Jasper himself had taken to a few psychology courses when he could. The University of Alaska allowed him to take a few, however I felt it was more his gift that talked the school into it than his non-existent paper work. After all, I could understand his fascination with our brains. It _was_ where emotions really started, or so Carlisle said. The humans weren't too sure about the brain.

"Shall we start from the major chords?" Edward asked softly next to me. I looked down at the piano and nodded.

Personally outside of my medicine work, I'd been practicing the piano next to Edward. It proved for some interesting conversations with the depressed man. I'd been getting closer and closer to Edward over the past year, I knew it bothered Jasper a little simply because Edward was single and unmated.

"Damn, Cat." Jasper commented from the couch as I played the first few and went back to repeat them then I played the wrong chord. I cringed at how harshly I hit it. I looked up at him snickering. He was reading in the sunlight by the windows. I rolled my eyes at him and looked back down at the keys.

"Is that Catharin I hear, trying to kill Edward's piano again?" Emmett called out from next to him.

"Shut up, Emmett." Edward and I chorused. I stopped and stared at him as he froze. I could feel Jasper's eyes on us.

"Alright, now then. Like you're holding an apple, Catharin but looser fingers." Edward softly put his hand over mine, guiding the posture and the fingers to where I had been before the screw up.

"Good lord." I stated as I watched him maneuver my hands into his idea of a good position. It looked like a jigsaw puzzle in the form a hand.

"Well...aren't you two just two little peas in a pod." Jasper commented snidely from the couch, his eyes were on our hands. I raised a brow at the comment.

"Jasper, maybe it'd be less distracting if _you_ left the room." Edward countered hotly, moving his hands quickly away from mine. Jasper looked towards me, I shrugged awkwardly. I _was_ a little distracted when he was around.

"Maybe I will." Jasper sounded a little pissy as I heard the book snap shut. I felt the wind hit my face when he sauntered his way out of the room, his eyes were on mine the whole time as I sighed.

"And again." Edward conducted from his side, playing the same pattern I was on the other side.

"God damn it." I cursed both my fingers and the piano chord I was stuck on. This was the third time. I kept getting excited and nearly smashed the key causing a harsh sound to come up from the string. I could hear Emmett snort from the couch over the television and glared in his general direction.

"For a woman who doesn't believe in God, you use his name a lot." Edward muttered from next me after the last 'god damn it' and 'good lord'. I shrugged, trying to keep my thoughts clear and not start this again.

"You sure you don't secretly believe in it all?" He was teasing me.

"It all being?" I asked, a little annoyed with my fingers as I picked one up at and turned it over. I'm not biting, Eddie. He snorted in response to my thought and I was reminded he could actually read thoughts. Sometimes I genuinely forgot.

"God, the Devil, heaven, marriage before sex..." He finished and raised a brow with a smile forming as he looked at me. It felt odd to have him bring up marriage before sex, I was uncomfortable if nothing else. Now hes just _annoying_.

" _Am_ I annoying you then?" He asked curiously, I could feel him lean closer to me as I just glared at him. Stupid mind reader.

"Yes. You are. I don't believe that theres a god like _you_ do because if there was, he'd be the cruelest one of all." I hissed at him. The house had gone still, everyone was listening to us. Even Rose was, considering there weren't any sounds of machinery cutting through metal anymore.

Esme or Carlisle usually broke up these fights between us but neither were home right now. Esme was out hunting and Carlisle was at the local hospital. I knew Jasper would tear into Edward if he raised a hand to me but the verbal abuse between us got just as bad when it came to religious talk. I loved Edward like my brother but the religion talk makes me want to tear his head from his body.

"Well everything happens for a reason, Catharin." He replied good naturedly as he watched me. I heard a feminine scoff come from the garage and assumed it was Rose.

"That is such bullshit." I stood, trying to get some space between us before I popped his arms out of the sockets. He was irritating me right now. Last week it was Emmett via his constant jokes of Jasper and I 'rolling around in the snow now' instead of the forest. It was just _weird_ to have sex in a house full of people who could hear EVERYTHING.

"Hey. We've lost our souls among other things, the biggest thing would be that he's just forsaken us." Edward held up his hands in surrender as I growled at him. Hes just so _irritating._

"Oh my god, you and your soul. You're such a depressing person, you know that? Its all hell fire and brimstone with you." I threw my hands up in the air with exasperation as Emmett started to snicker from the living room.

"I'm just saying, its a thought." Edward recounted as he held out a hand. I stared at his hand suspiciously. It seemed he'd been a little more...touchy lately since being around the Denali sisters. I knew Jasper had noticed it first, bringing it up over a hunting trip. He was mad that I was this close to Edward, he'd rather I spent more time with Emmett. I'd dismissed the thought before but its stuck in my mind these days.

"Oh good grief, I'm just using it as a peace offering, Catharin. You don't actually have to hold my hand." Edward responded exasperatedly to my thoughts as I slowly took it. Jasper was being silly, Edward _is_ the only single male in our coven but hes not a threat to Jasper by any means.

"I'm just waiting for the right girl." Edward stated quietly, as he looked down at the keys and let go of my hand.

"Any ideas what she'd be like?" I asked hesitantly making conversation with the guy. He did get moody and lonely at times, with Jasper around we kept it down but we all knew it was prevalent on his mind.

"She'd be short and blonde and have an interest in music but can't play worth a damn." He replied nudging me in the joke.

"Oh good. I'm a short blonde with shit skills now. Thanks, man." I snorted as he grinned at me, he was snickering to himself. I heard a sarcastic chuckle come from upstairs, making me freeze. I sighed and immediately dismissed it, instead choosing to count sheep out loud in my head. I didn't want the mind reader to catch on about Jazzy.

"It was just a joke, Cat." He raised a brow at me, probably because I was yelling numbers in the foreground of my mind while mumbling in the back. I'd learned some tricks being around him for a little while.

"Yup! I think I'm done with the piano for now. Gonna go hunting." I nodded quickly to his statement and stood abruptly, turning to run out the side door. It was like I could feel Jasper getting more irritated and it was _weird._

"Catharin?" Edward called out in a question. Emmett stared at me, looking both curious and thoughtful as I made the dash past him and jumped off the balcony. I knew that head of his wasn't empty at all but I also appreciated he didn't bother asking me things.

I hit the ground running and continued until I heard another set of feet running close up to my tail end. I looked back to see the stupid redhead coming up behind him. Him and his stupid ability to run faster than me. I stopped abruptly and turned, heading in another direction.

I watched with mirth as Edward ran past me looking alarmed and annoyed, I've actually tricked the mind reader. I grinned to myself in victory. I heard his feet hitting the ground close to me again and sighed, stopping again.

However this time he didn't go past me, instead he started to laugh loudly as I felt the stone weight of a vampire running into your back at 100 miles per hour. We tumbled as he hit and I landed on the ground with a loud thump and some embarrassment at not even moving when I realized he was about to run into me. I just stood there like a dumbass.

"Get ooooff." I grounded out unhappily as I pushed at his chest. I was miffed he'd beat me at this and he was laughing the hardest I'd ever seen the melancholic vampire laugh. It was making me laugh, the way his lips curling up to show his teeth.

I stared at him for a second as I began to grin at the circumstance, his entire body was shaking with laughter and his face was creased into a deep grin as he laid on me. His head went past my shoulder and into the crook of it. It was comfortable. I found I didn't mind him touching me as much as others simply for the fact he was my brother.

" _Edwaaardd._ Get off." I snapped my fingers trying to get his attention. In the back of my mind I felt like Jasper would have the luck to run up right now and get all jealous again. I loved the man with all my heart and soul but goodness did he have a jealously streak sometimes. It was like its a mix between over protective and jealously.

"Actually, its _exactly_ that." Edward nodded as I raised a brow, what does that mean then?

"Hes used to it being just you and him then when I get in there or Emmett or even _Rose_ , he gets jealous. Feels like you don't need him as much. I guess its been just you two for quite sometime." Edward responded to my thoughts insightfully as he propped himself up with an elbow. I nodded slowly from my spot on the ground, looking towards the snow covered trees above us. It was peaceful and quiet out here.

"I think its been like at least 20 years or something." I replied, thinking back. I wasn't sure how long it had been really.

"Well you two got married in 1953, and its officially 1978 as of a week ago. So thats _25_ years, Cat." He smirked back at me.

"How'd _you_ know that?" I asked incredulously as my brow furrowed. I didn't even bother doing the math. I just knew that every year on the 15th of October, our anniversary came up. We'd started to push it to every five years because we lived so long. Its _hard_ to not repeat the same gift from 5 years ago when you have an anniversary _every year._

"He thinks about it every time he feels like you don't need him as much." Edward continued as I frowned even deeper.

"Well that just won't do." I grounded out as I tried to roll the scrawny vampire off of me. For a guy thats so scrawny and lanky, he weighs a god damn ton.

"Hey! I'm slim, not lanky or scrawny. _You're_ scrawny if nothing else. You look like you never ate when you were changed." He held a finger up as I unsuccessfully attempted to roll him off. I looked down at my body and found the bones were actually sticking out where my shirt had ridden up. Maybe I had been a little underweight for a pregnant woman.

"You definitely were." Edward confirmed. I glared at him for his input and flipped him off.

"Hey, it was 1856 and I lived in a settler's town. I was lucky we had anything to eat when I sold herbs and my husband was a shotty blacksmith." I defended grumpily as I continued to try and roll him off of me.

"Fair enough but why is your hair this long?" Edward shrugged and then nodded to my comments. He paused the nodding to pick up a piece of wispy pale blonde hair and looked at its entire length up to my head. I looked at the hair, it fell down to my waist when I stood and it wasn't tied up.

"I don't know, it was just the style. I was busy most of the time." I shrugged, moving snow with my shoulders. I could barely feel the cold but the sound of my shoulders pushing against it was evident in my ears.

"Now get _off._ You weigh a lot for a string-bean." I commented smugly as he rolled his eyes and sat up, getting off of me. A few minutes later, I was up myself, dusting my clothes off, Edward was helping by getting the parts I couldn't reach. When he decided to fuckin' _tackle_ me, I landed first.

I paused when I heard branches cracking until I realized it was just Jazzy. He had this unique smell to him that I'd memorized from the first time I saw him. He smelled like a light leather or mahogany even with a spicy aftershave mixed in. It seemed that was just his smell considering his facial hair never grew anymore and I don't think we've ever owned any scents outside of the fabric cleaners.

His face was pulled into a blank slate that cracked the tiniest bit. His hands were shoved into his pockets and he seemed to almost glare when he saw Edward dusting dirt and snow off of my back before it stuck to my clothes. It wouldn't melt until I went into the house but I didn't want to piss Esme off either.

"You two look like you've been rolling around in the snow." Jasper commented neutrally as he crossed his arms over his chest. I shrugged, kinda had. Oh right, only Edward was the mind reader. I heard a snort come from him before I glared at him and opened my mouth to talk to my mate.

"Sort of. Edward kinda just plowed on into me and I hit the ground first." I commented as I motioned towards the parts in the uprooted ground where we'd basically had a crash landing. Jasper looked back at it, nodding to me.

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay, Catharin. I'll leave you two alone." Jasper nodded as he spoke distantly. He looked sad and it made my heart hurt. I grabbed onto his arm before he took a step forward.

"Can we chat?" I asked hesitantly, staring up at him. He looked back sullenly but also a little curious. I'd gotten good at reading his face it seems.

"You have gotten good." Edward patted me on the back as I raised a brow at him. STOP COMMENTING ON MY THOUGHTS, EDWARD. I glared at him as he held his hands up in surrender and walked away, taking off into a run.

"Jazzy, I know you feel like I don't need you any more but I _do_. So much. You're still my everything and I don't want anyone else _but_ you." I paused and took in a breath as Jasper's sad face seemed to almost melt into a smile.

"I know things have changed since we got here but I'm still the same Cat and you're still my Jasper, okay?" I asked for his confirmation. He nodded and pulled me to him.

"I try to remember this stuff but it is nice to hear sometimes." He commented softly and kissed my head.

"Is this why you've been so...pissy?" I tried to phrase it nicely but he just snorted at it anyways.

"No. This was a worry of mine but not why I've been pissy, babe." He commented lowly.

"Then _why?"_ I asked incredulously into his chest.

"Mostly just the fact that Eddie over there, I don't even know if he or you or anyone else realizes it _but_ he gets little twinges of lust and affection around you. I didn't notice it until you two started playing the piano together a lot. Honestly, I thought it was coming from you last week." He explained as I snorted. It explained why he refused to go farther than cuddling last week.

"Nah. No way in hell. Hes too depressing and preachy." I muttered into his chest. He laughed at the terms and rubbed my back. He pulled me back a little and softly kissed me. I smiled back at him. He seemed to be secure again and I was happy about it.

"Well hes just been alone for a long while. I mean everyone goes through the little bits of lust and all when they've not been mated for a long time." I shrugged and looked around.

"I know. Just pisses me off. I try to give you two some space so he can work through it without me ripping his legs off." He smiled at the thought as I rolled my eyes. I grabbed his hand and tugged him farther in.

"Lets go hunt before we go back. It couldn't hurt." I looked back at him. He seemed happy enough to follow me just about anywhere and I finally felt a bit of relief that his mood swings were finally over. Maybe.


	12. Chapter 12

I found myself in Anchorage on a trip with Edward. I was there in place of Carlisle, to represent both the Cullen name and his position as a doctor. It seemed the best plan to him, for his daughter to go and show up to a Doctor's without border's press meeting. Apparently, he wasn't able to simply because he hadn't aged since the opening of the organization's branch out here. It'd been nearly 10 years and his face looked forever like a 20 year old movie star that played fathers for a living. He was worried about it.

I was to comment on what the Alaskan branch would be doing to assist in the Vietnam war, all the refugees had moved up to the northern areas to be assisted in refugee camps. Edward instead was just there to keep me under wraps as well as a form of guidance. He could help via the mind reading. Carlisle _had_ rehearsed it with me several times and it stuck in my mind but I kept feeling like there was more I should be doing than talking to a bunch of flashing cameras and microphones.

Jasper and Carlisle would never let me into the war torn area. Not without Jasper with me but at the same time, it would only time a bullet to bounce off of me before I'd be burned at the stake as a witch. Plus when I looked at the forecasts for the place, sun rays turning me into a disco ball seemed like a problem.

The rest of the family hadn't come with me, it was supposed to be a quick in and out, I'd talk then walk back home. Jasper found he couldn't stand being around that many people, he'd almost slipped a week ago and it seemed I'd have to go to school with him in the next move. I was apparently distracting enough for him to get the smell of humans pushed to the background of his mind.

After that only Edward was able to come with me, he'd controlled his thirst well enough and wasn't tied down by a previous commitment like Rose or Emmett. Both had decided they were going to try out fishing, I wasn't sure why she'd agree to it but I was totally ready to hear about Em throwing her into the water.

"Miss Cullen, do you know exactly how much Alaska will donate in funds for the medicines needed in Thailand?" A woman with perky eyes and an eager smile looked back at me as she held a pencil and paper in her hands. I'd picked her for a question simply because it seemed she wasn't affiliated with any of the larger company's, like she was pushed around a lot for that reason too.

"An exact estimate isn't known as of right now but we will be holding many fundraisers in the next week for this venture. All funds from these free entrance events will automatically go towards the refugee camps." I leaned toward the microphone and spoke pleasantly to her. Edward wasn't next to me for this part, in fact he was behind the red velvet curtain, quiet as a mouse. I only knew he hadn't moved because every once in a while an assistant would try to talk to him. He'd essentially grunt and I could hear her footsteps shuffle away.

"Miss Cullen. Is there a reason why Dr Cullen sent his daughter to do his job?" This came from a male reporter, sporting some News logo I didn't care to check. He smirked at me as I felt my face tighten and then forcibly relax. I'd expected this but at the same time I wasn't sure of what to tell him in a way that wasn't improper for a press group. It felt like I was on display and checked for every little impurity to be exploited and flaunted.

"Well as I _am_ in ownership of a PhD, I am _also_ a Dr Cullen. He is unable to attend and has sent me for good measure. He is just as involved in this issue as I and sends his regrets, _Sir._ " I'd kept the entire debacle calm and contained but honest to goodness, I was on the verge of hissing the last portion. I was a little irritated with this human **asshole**. I knew exactly what he was trying to refer to but I wasn't about to snap and let him have it. I was much to stubborn for that.

"The conference is over now. Ms Cullen has a previous commitment she must attend too." Edward appeared, silent as usual, and spoke quickly into the mic. I stood and took a bow, choosing to walk behind the stage back with confidence. When I got around the corner and I was sure I was out of sight from the press, I leaned onto Edward and cussed the reporter out in my mind. He snorted and patted me on the back.

"Uh...Miss Cullen...we do actually need to get going on a meeting." A hesitant secretary tapped me on the back. I sighed into Edward's shoulder and nodded.

"Alright. Here we go." I spoke miserably, this was the _last_ time I was going on a trip for Carlisle.

The bake sales went off without an issue...well I say that but honestly we were in the shade for a good reason. Edward and I wore sunglasses and attempted to bathe ourselves in sunscreen on the chance that either one of us got into the sunlight. No clue if it'd work, but we were ready to test it if needed. I knew most of the people believed that we were just pale people who were scared of the sun and interested in pale skinned trends.

I switched legs again as I sighed looking at the humans in front of us. They too were pale but it was a different kind, they had a 'healthy glow' about them...i.e they could sweat. Edward and I couldn't. We'd stick out strongly if we weren't in the cold shade of a tall building.

I was dressed up for this, made up to represent the Doctors without Borders'... prettier and more feminine side. I had on a high necked, paisley print, shift dress. The shoes felt odd to me, so wide and wooden. Like large clunky sandals for god's sake. Honestly I don't understand this era's fashion. Rose had picked this out before we'd even left.

"You look fine." Edward muttered under his breath to me.

"Easy for you to say." I rolled my eyes and switched legs again. I was getting restless and I think Edward knew it. He stood up with me, the heels I had on gave me an extra 3 inches to add to 5'1. Edward still towered over me, essentially.

"Human approaching at 1 o'clock. Hes going to try and flirt." Edward whispered low to me as I looked for the human he'd spoken about. The man had an olive skin tone, obviously he'd been darker at one point but years of the Alaskan climate had paled him. He was wearing blue swinging bell bottom pants with a flannel red shirt.

"Miss Cullen is it? William Sable." He stuck his hand out as I nodded at him with a smile.

"You've put on a lovely spread." He nodded towards the emptying tables. Honestly half of it was Edward carrying food from Esme. Some how we'd figured out a system of once in every 3 days, he would run up and grab the food then come back and we'd sell them.

We really only had 3 bake-sales the entire week. I found myself getting homesick, being away from Jasper for so long. Eddie was the fastest runner. It only made sense that he would be the one to run for it all when I was writing responses to letters from fans, newspapers, and the Doctor's without Borders higher ups themselves.

"You'd have to tell my mother that. I didn't cook any of this." I replied with a small smile as I looked at the empty plates. Woman couldn't eat any of it but she was a damn good cook according to the humans. He let out a deep bout of laughter. It was pleasant if nothing else.

"Fair enough. I guess you really can't have the whole package then." He looked back at me, eyes drifting from my smile to my eyes.

"I'm sorry?" I wasn't sure of what to say really. Was this what courtship was like these days? You talk about food and then boxes in the mail? I heard laugh and looked over at Edward. He walked over with a contagious smile as he put an arm around my shoulders.

"Hello there, sir. Edward Cullen. You'll have to forgive my wife. She just can't cook worth a darn." Edward's fake voice was incredibly warm and inviting. As unnerving as it was, the fact I was supposed to be Mrs Edward Cullen was ridiculous. We'd never work as mates. It felt weird as fuck for him to just call me his wife.

"Well I must congratulate you then, sir. I'm surprised you even let her out of the house!" I watched as William's face changed instantly, the eyes turned away from me almost immediately as he started to crack jokes with Edward.

I felt a prick of irritation with the joke and had to remind myself it was a different area, people, time etc...That was definitely one thing I appreciated about Jasper. Even though he was forever the sweet southern gentleman, he still felt I could do as much as he could. Sometimes I needed to do things myself, just to remind myself that I could do it.

"I'll leave you two to it then." William nodded his head to us as we mirrored his action.

"What even?" I looked over at Edward and put my hands on my hips, I was glaring.

"Hey, it was needed. You were sinking into the trap, fast." He raised his hands in surrender as he looked at me. I rolled my eyes and went back to the table. After several hours of nodding, the sun was clouded over. It was close to 9 PM when everyone finally went home.

I went down to pick up a piece of parchment paper that seemed to be flying away when I started to lose balance in my wooden clogs that were supposedly fashionable now. I felt two hands on my waist and swiveled around to see Edward behind me with a raised brow. He shrugged as I shimmed away and stood. We worked in total silence as we cleaned the area.

We'd gotten only a mile before I angrily kicked off my shoes. I kept feeling my ankles give way as I tried to keep up with Edward, ahead of me by quite a bit. We were alone as I ended up decimating the shoes, kicking one clear off into the forest and the other into splinters.

"Are you quite done?" I looked up at Edward with a slight pout. He sighed and turned his back to me, crouching. I raised a brow at his hands out on his hips, palms facing up.

"A-are you?" I checked as I motioned with a finger. Looking at his palms and chicken wing arms, it was sorta interesting to see.

"Yes. I am with my chicken arms, hop on before I change my mind, Cat." He muttered the chicken arms and flexed to show he would leave me here. I sort of skipped and jumped lightly to land on Edward's back with a soft thump. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I rested my head on top of his.

"...Did you ever do this with Jasper?" I looked down at Edward, we were jogging in human terms but in ours it was a slow walk. There was a person every once in a while so he couldn't take off like he wanted.

"Nope! We tend to just run side by side." I shrugged as Edward adjusted his grip on my legs. The panty hose were ripped from my hissy fit, but otherwise my legs just sort of flopped around as we walked.

"Not even when you guys first met? Ah..." Edward sounded confused as he said it. I shook my head no as I thought back to situation and he gave a sound of understanding. He nodded, he understood now.

"You were an absolute mess." He commented offhandedly.

"You try wandering around for weeks with the loss of a child and no idea what just happened to you. Jasper was the only good, honest, kind thing I'd seen in god knows how long." I hissed as I glared at the top of his head and let go of his shoulders to flatten his hair.

"You're right. I apologise." He nodded to me, ignoring the hair flattening. I humphed and laid my head back down on to the back of his head.

In places where the sun rose and fell every day, the humans left much faster. In Alaska, however, the sun was up for 6 months or down for 6 leaving the humans in bed early or up late. Sometimes it threw us, when we were supposed to head home as well, but Esme had it down to an art. 9 PM was the time to leave if you were close to them, and 6 PM if you weren't close to them.

"This was a long day." Edward commented from next to me.

"It was. But we're going home now." I looked up at him from the book I was reading and nodded. We were back in the hotel room sitting side by side, in the larger arm chairs.

I just had to wait until 9 AM exactly to be there for some ceremonial hand off of the cash and a hand shake of a representative from the original Doctor's without Borders's company. However, after that, we'd be out of of there. Edward would check us out while I gathered all the stuff in the suit case and we would be out of here.

"Catharin..." Edward spoke again, this time sounding hesitant. _Yes, Edward?_ I looked up again and raised a brow, waiting for him to continue.

"Things are...different now, from when you were changed. A long time has passed." He spoke slowly, watching my face.

"Obviously. I'm sitting in a hotel, a hundred years later, with someone who I consider an annoying brother." I shrugged and looked back down at my book. It was a favourite of Jasper and I's. We decided that to keep some kind of close feeling between us while I was gone, we would read the _The Shining_ at the same time.

"Theres more good, honest, kind people nowadays." He mentioned just as off handed as before. I shrugged, not really listening.

"Catharin...I wanted to tell you since we'd spent some time together. I-" Edward stopped abruptly as I looked back up to stare at him. His head was tilted with his ear to the side. I was focused on him now. He shook his head and looked back at me, as he put a hand on my own.

"I just wanted to tell you that there are _others_ who are just as good and honest as he was. He's changed from when he was a human, I mean...think about it. He killed hundreds of newborns after he was changed. He's a hardened war veteran. Is he really the same man from when you met?" He shrugged and looked back at me for a reaction.

"Jasper never knew me as a human, maybe _of_ me but he didn't meet me until I'd turned." I tilted my head and I thought about his words.

"Then are you two still that compatible? It could just as easily have been some guidance from way up above to bring you to the coven." He looked at me as he spoke slowly. I rolled my eyes at his otherworldly advice.

"Look, Eddie. We've all done things that we regret. Okay? Your rebellion wasn't that bad." I spoke sympathetically as I patted his hand and withdrew back into my book. I heard him stand and watched as he pulled the book out of my hands. I sighed and looked at him, propping my head up with my arm.

"Catharin, you're not understanding what I'm trying to say here...I-why do you stay with him? Why is he so perfect to you? You think about him nearly all the damn time." He was crouched down in front of me looking nervous and exasperated. I tilted my head, wondering why in the hell he'd ever ask that when I realized he'd never felt the pull.

"Because he's my soul mate." I shrugged and waited for him.

"But how do you _know_? I mean I could be your soul mate, just waiting for you to realize it." He took both of my hands at this point. I was a little startled. I knew that under all the depression and angst, Edward was a romantic at heart. He was less similar to Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights than Jasper, but still had this need to love.

"Edward...I'm going to pretend you haven't practically confessed to me." I gave him a pointed look to take the bait and let it go.

"One day, you'll see." He stood with some amount of anger and spoke with determination. I raised a brow as he hit the end table, shattering it and sending wood splinters everywhere. I felt a few bounce off my skin but land in my hair. His temper tantrum would stop eventually, I thought to myself.

"Temper Tantrum? I'm not a _child_ Catharin. I know you're 113 and I'm only 58, but **enough**." He bellowed as I pointedly ignored him, choosing to brush the slivers out of my hair. He snarled and wound up ripping the window up to jump through it. I got up and looked out right as he disappeared into the forest.

"Good grief." I sighed to myself as I went out myself, trying to keep an eye out for humans. I ran into the forest, trying to smell his trail. He'd just about disappeared as I looked around for him.

I paused as I heard the sound of feet hitting the ground at a quick pace. The only thing that gave him away was the sound of his shoes on the leaves and brush on the forest floor. Ah shit. I tried to take a step out of the way but found he changed the trajectory, running right into my side. It was forceful but not enough to hurt me, merely knock me over.

"How do I know that I'll ever find someone I feel that pull for? What if every girl I meet, I just compare her to you?" He sounded worried now as he rolled off of me and laid next to me.

"You compare people to me?" I asked softly.

"Apparently so. I was thinking of giving into Irina but I kept thinking 'She doesn't enjoy my music like Cat.', 'She likes putting make up on, Cat doesn't.' 'Shes not interested in one guy like Cat.'." He sounded miserable as he talked about the unmated Denali sister. The other two were slowly finding that the multiple string of lovers were only getting them nicknames like Succubi.

"Sometimes that works best, not being bonded to any one vampire. You could have anyone you set your heart on, Edward." I looked over and squeezed his hand as I spoke. I was trying to be comforting, he seemed to have a hard case of angst and sadness.

"Then why can't I have the one person I want the most?" He sounded miserable as he asked, looking at up the Alaskan trees. I frowned at him, it hurt to see him so miserable but at the same time, it would have never worked.

"It won't ever work if you keep telling yourself that. I'll go pay for the damage. See you at home, Cat." He whispered my name as he stood and darted out of sight. For some reason he'd always been the faster runner out of all of us. I laid there for an hour or so before I stood and dusted off the leaves. I scared the wildlife as I stood, the sound of squirrels and rabbits scurrying away from me crunching leaves as they went.

* * *

I'd been running through the Alaskan wilderness for a little bit, trying to figure out exactly where I was by scents. If I went to far to the left or to the right I'd lose the smell of our coven and get turned around again. I knew for a fact I was going in circles because now all I could smell was myself.

The sun had clouded over again leading me to believe it was either incredibly late or early, really at this point I was just beginning to panic. Edward wasn't around and I couldn't actually seem to find my way back. It wasn't like I could stop and ask a tree for directions. It felt like another few hours had passed when I started to hear... _something._

Right now it seemed like it was just a breeze going through but at the same time, I kept hearing snaps and pops. They came from above me but they were farther away. Either someone was jumping from branch to the ground then to another branch or they were moving branch to branch quickly.

I was starting to seriously freak now, stopping my breathing as I froze. I felt like the breathing would some how give away my position as I jumped into what seemed to be a Spruce or a Tamarack. I remembered it from a year or so of looking at the trees with Jasper, he'd become interested in them for carving purposes but quickly lost interest. A crack was closer now as I tried to scramble for higher ground.

I listened to the air shift with some worry building as I did. I didn't know who was coming but it seemed it was one of our kind with how smoothly they were moving. It was really only the leaves that seemed to make noise as they fell or rode the wind.

The tree I was balanced on trembled as someone landed below me. They didn't push off again, they were just standing there. A second later, I could feel eyes on me as I tried to mold myself into the tree's shape. I was trying to move slowly, see where they were in relation to me.

"Catharin?" A southern voice reached my ears as I spotted the familiar pale face below. The worry ebbed away to calm and familiarity of the emotions switching so quickly gave away who it was.

"Jazzy!" I was excited now as I climbed down the tree and hugged him.

"How'd they let you come up here?" I asked excitedly as Jasper pulled me towards him, kissing my forehead. I found the warm fuzzy feelings run all the way down to my toes and back up.

"Well it's after bed time for everyone, darlin'. You're a little late getting back home." His words were accented with some undertones of worry.

"Either way. You smell good." I nestled my head into his clothed chest and took in a deep breath. I felt Jasper pause as he started to shake with laughter.

"So do you." He muttered into my hair.

"Wheres Edward? I've been meaning to ask." He pulled away after I didn't respond. I wasn't sure how to phrase it without pissing him off.

"Hes uh...I'm not sure." I replied warily, looking at his grey wool vest.

"What do you mean 'not sure', he was supposed to travel with you, Cat." Okay now he sounds pissy. I was not doing well at the whole "don't piss off Jasper" deal today. I shrugged mutely in his arms, I didn't want to get Edward in trouble.

"Fine. We'll talk about it when we get home, but I'm not going to be happy about it." He warned as he put out a hand for me to take. I nodded just as mutely as before as I placed my hand in his and we jumped down to the forest floor, taking off towards what was now for sure the right direction.


	13. Chapter 13

I looked as we approached, there was furniture on the front of the driveway. area. It seemed Esme was redecorating again. She'd been trying out a country theme of sorts for the past year and appeared to have changed it again, leaving the pink roosters and chicken themed plates outside near the mailbox.

"Shes had Emmett, Rose, and I moving most of her stuff." He explained as we went by. I nodded, looking back. I wasn't that found of country anyways.

"May I know why you're...grunting?" I phrased with curiousity as I felt his grip tighten, relax, tighten, relax... I kept trying to push out the questions I had in my mind. Edward's words kept flowing in and out of my thoughts.

"You can't smell him? Hes back already." Jasper stopped abruptly and turned to me. He jerked his thumb back at the house as I shrugged while the cowboy grumbled in front of me.

I had a habit of forgetting to breath...that and I was an awful tracker. Jasper ripped the door open to stomp inside with me following. We wound up going to the living room as I was rushed by both Rose and Esme.

"Oh thank goodness, you're alright." Esme sounded relieved as she hugged me to her then pulled back to inspect me.

"Do you know how worried we've been? How'd you even get here so late? Edward arrived ages ago after Jasper went to _search_ for you." Rose glared with her hands on her hips as I raised a brow at her attitude.

"I got lost, we all know how wonderful my sense of direction is." I replied with a quiet voice, I was trying to keep all my emotions steady and _not_ look over at Edward. Rose raised a brow at my answer. I had no idea if that was the right thing or wrong thing or what, I didn't even know what the hell Edward had told them.

"Alright, sweetheart. Just be more careful next time." Esme kissed the top of my head softly and went back to her desk. It was covered in wax papers, rulers, pencil shavings, and pen marks. She was hard at work apparently.

"Fair enough. Next time, **don't** try to go and hike on your own." Rose hugged me this time, I wrapped my arms back around her and patted awkwardly. It gave me warm fuzzy feelings that they cared but it also caused guilt to spiral out oddly enough. It hadn't been a lie that I'd gotten lost but at the same time I felt guilty for paining the family. Just the idea of Esme being worried over me had me guilty.

"I don't know if you'll be able to get her back now, man. Looks like Rose sucked the life out of her."Emmett added from the side with some laughter in his voice as Rose's head spun to glare at him.

"Cat?" I looked up from the floor as Rose released me to go scold Emmett. Jasper was watching me with his head tilted and his hand outstretched. His eyes were glancing back and forth between Edward and I. I looked over to Edward to find he was focused entirely on the piano. I swallowed as I nodded and placed my hand in his as we took the stairs two at a time. I was _so_ in trouble with him. He had to know something was going on, the man wasn't stupid.

I collapsed onto the bed as the wrought iron frame shook under my body's force. If he was going to punish me, it'd happen whether I was laying down or not. We'd decorated a little more, sticking random little photos onto the windows. Sometimes we'd take a road trip, Jasper and I, and when we did we took a camera. Esme was bound and determined we'd get into the family photo album more and more.

There was one of myself from our trip to Colorado. I was sitting on a larger branch looking back at the camera, I was smiling and I had on eyeliner to accentuate my eyes. There was pale blonde hair everywhere from what I remembered, one burst of wind and a snap of the camera's shades and the moment was capture.

The one next to it was of Jasper and I in a cafe later in the day. It was taken by an elderly couple next to us, the first few had been duds as we tried to put the camera back far enough to cover our faces and the wall behind us. I was wearing a collared black dress, it'd come up to my knees while Jasper was wearing his vest and long sleeved gray shirt, one hand tucked into the pocket while the other rested on my hip.

"That was a nice photo." Jasper's voice sounded in my ear, bringing me back to the green room and black bed-sheets. I nodded as I looked over at him. He was standing there, both hands behind his back as he took in the picture. I was halfway expecting him to be a worse mood but it seemed he was happy to just have me around. He smiled back softly at me as I watched my mate.

"What do you really remember from your human life, Jazzy?" I asked quietly as I sat up at the foot of the bed. My flats touched the floor just barely, leaving my legs to swing if I so choose.

"Why the sudden curiousity?" He sat down next to me, the sheets barely shifted under our weight. It was odd how at times our bodies were like flying pieces of stone and other times we were as delicate as feathers.

"Do you think you changed a lot? From when we met I mean?"I looked over as he leaned on his knees, his hands folded in between them. It was true that this was the first time I'd ever full out asked him about his past memories. Most of the time I was just thankful that he couldn't sleep and have to relive them so vividly.

"Thats hard to say. Killed a lot of people. Killed a lot of vampires." He spoke with some hardship showing in his voice. It'd deepened as he stared down at the floor. I felt my heart squeeze itself with some anxiety at his answer.

"...Is death all you remember from your human life?" I was worried and tried to not let it show in my voice as I looked at my husband. His shoulders were showing through the fabric as he looked down. His neck exposed, showing more and more of the deep scarring on his pale skin. He looked up almost immediately as the words left my throat.

"No. Not at all, Cat." He shook his head. I felt the anxiety slip quickly into comfort and affection.

"I remember..." I watched with a frown forming as he looked deep in thought. As if a light bulb had gone off he looked back at me.

"I remember seeing you. I remember us talking and I remember _all_ my feelings towards you...I mean I also remember little pictures of my mom crying when I left. People's faces are blurred on the battle field, both human and vampire. Everything but you is fuzzy and grainy for me. Time keeps on and I forget more and more. I think my momma's name started with an S maybe?" He looked back down at my hands as he recalled the last bit. I nodded slowly at his answer, he was still my Jazz. Nothing major had changed about him for me.

"What about you, Cat?" He looked back up at me after his trail ended. I started to nibble on the inside of my cheek as I thought.

"I can always remember the face of the man who changed me. I remember waking up after. I remember the way I'd write down what people traded and who owed me a trade later. I remember you the best. I always have." I looked him in the eye as I smiled. The Cullens and Jasper were my only family now, the past had faded and was gone.

"Always a pleasure to hear I'm on your mind, darlin'." He smiled as he took my hand and kissed it softly. I felt the little warm tinges start as his lips landed on my knuckles. Everything about Jasper made me happy, well almost everything. At times he was over-protective I thought.

"Now then, you know I've gotta ask...Why in the hell were you wanderin' the woods alone for so long? You know I was out there for over 4 hours?" He raised a brow, looking serious as he ran his thumb over my finger tips. It felt nice to sit here with him but the question had me racking my mind. Should I rat him out? I felt the guilt at the idea of it. Obviously he wouldn't want people to know this outside of maybe Carlisle. Definitely _not_ Jasper. I loved the man but I wasn't even sure if I wanted to tell him. It wasn't going to come up again and then I'd be in trouble for partly believing him.

"Well...I just..." I took in a deep breath as I forced my shoulders to unlock as bouts of panic hit me that I still didn't know what to tell Jasper. The room reeked of Jasper and I, I could hear the stringed light's buzzing on the iron frame behind us.

"I just got lost. Thought I could do it myself." I finished lamely as we heard a knock on the door, forcing both of us to turn.

"Come in." Jasper sounded as the door swung open.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go hunting." Edward popped out from around the corner, he was staring at me in particular. I felt a brow quirk up at his interruption and his reasoning for it.

"...Sure." I decided it was best for now as I hopped off the bed. I was wearing jeans this time, the bottoms were flared out and swung as I walked out of the room. I silently followed Edward across the hall and out through his room's window. It was just close enough to a tree for us to jump successfully.

We'd been running for several minutes before I started to realize Edward had slowed down. I was actually almost at the same speed as him. I began to slow as well until finally we were walking. I wasn't sure of what to say or do, it didn't feel like we were seriously about to hunt.

"You listened to me." I paused for a near second as I thought about what he said and shrugged. _I listened too much. You were spewing out nonsense._ I watched as he pursed his lips and shook his head.

"You didn't think so. Otherwise..." He trailed off, his hands in his pant's pockets. I raised a brow and crossed my arms over my chest as I waited for an answer. _Otherwise what, Edward?_

 _"_ You would have just told him everything instead of asking him what he remembered." He took a step closer, looking a little victorious.

"I only did that because you're my brother." I scoffed as he shrugged, _it was like he was saying 'whatever you say'._

"Pretty close, actually. Well done. I was wondering when you'd start to pick up on queues from everyone else other than Jasper." He patted me on the shoulder as he turned back around to continue walking forwards. I almsot growled at his belittling tone as I followed him.

* * *

We'd gotten back nearly an hour later. I was sitting at the piano, pressing different chords softly with Edward next to me. Jasper and Emmett were in the living room watching a show that I think was called _Bewitched_. I had a favourite, _The Munsters_. No clue why outside of hilarity, the humans kept trying to bring out Bram Stoker's idea of a vampire, which Jasper and I loved.

"Aw. Its _another_ rerun. What the hell?" Emmett's thunderous voice sounded off from his place on the floor.

"Its been off the air for like 3 years, man." Jasper responded sounding a little depressed but also a little distracted.

"At least _Dukes of Hazzard_ is on next." I could hear Emmett messing with buttons and controls as he shifted the channels. The theme song sounded as he switched, country tunes were playing out of it's speakers.

"We could do tha-." Emmett spoke lower this time, trying to talk Jasper into a car stunt yet again.

"No!" Esme cut him off from her hobby room in the back.

"Sorry." Jasper replied softer to Emmett. They'd done something like it before in Forks. All it lead to was a trashed car and a trashed front yard for Esme with a launch half way in tact. She nearly cut them both off from the TV show until it stopped airing but it'd been fun for me to plant everything again. It reminded me of my herbalism days and it wound up being that I was now in charge of plants in the yard...well when it wasn't winter.

I looked outside at the green grassy forest. The brown of the trees and the green of the moss were the most noticeable in my eyes. The sun was getting just a little closer to the horizon as each week of August.


	14. Chapter 14

"Emmett, stop trying to arm wrestle with Jasper. Jasper, your third vest button isn't buttoned. Rose, love, _please_ help her with that hair." Esme went down the line, leaving Edward to continue dusting the piano's keys. I sighed and turned my back as Rose ran a comb through my hair, braiding then twisting it up to sit on top of my head.

The Denali coven was coming over for an odd sort of Yule tide/Christmas celebration and Esme seemed to on red alert for anything. She'd kept a careful eye on Emmett not destroying anything, Rose to not smell like grease and for Edward and I to look presentable.

She'd already had us pose for the Christmas photo, Carlisle and Esme were in the back while couples went down the line in how long we'd been with the family. Edward stood close to me at the very end out of his own choosing. The woman seemed to love holidays for the decorating chances. This year she'd done the large pine tree with a gingerbread theme in mind.

Little gingerbread boys and girls decorated the tree paired with candles and ribbons...This meant literally _everything_ smelled like a sweet ginger. Jasper had stopped breathing all together unless we left the house while I'd taken to try and seal our room away from the smell. I wasn't sure how Irina, Tanya, Kate _or_ their new coven mates would be able to deal with it.

We were an odd family, the Denalis were similar to cousins towards Jasper and I. Our past Christmases weren't with the Denalis when we lived in Forks, there hadn't been any point to the coven travelling down, exchanging gifts and leaving again the same night. It wasn't as though we would have a feast or anything similar.

"Its fine, dear. They won't mind if theres dust on the bookshelves." Carlisle stood near the stairs and the tree trying to calm his wife.

" _I_ notice it." She nearly ignored him as she decided to try and smooth out Edward's hair. Rose patted me on the back to let me know she was finished. I was wearing heels, make up and now my hair was done. It felt odd to have the waxy layers on my face and skin but if it made Esme happy, we were all willing to do nearly anything. I drifted over to Jasper and wrapped a hand around his extended elbow.

We waited for another hour or so as I traced shapes onto Jasper's forearm. He could be a little tense with the Denali sisters, always watching for any signs of aggression. He'd gotten better about it after a few years but I think the new coven members had him anxious, I couldn't find fault with it. We weren't sure of what to expect from them, Katrina swore that they were only animal drinkers but we'd still never met the pair.

"Esme. Carlisle." There was knock on the door and an accented greeting, sounded like Kate. We stood to greet the coven with respect. Jasper always said that I reminded him of her, appearance and personality. I liked the girl for sure but I wasn't sure how similar we looked past the straight hair.

"Cat, you look lovely as always." Kate came around the corner and dropped the brown and green wrapped presents under the tree. Apparently Carlisle had already told her that Esme had a colour theme going on.

"I could say the same to you, Kate." I grinned and returned her hug when she came close.

"Evening, Kate. You look wonderful for 900 something years old." Jasper teased. She rolled her eyes at him and lightly smacked his shoulder.

"Jasper, you charmer." Jasper smiled at her and tipped his head in greeting. She moved on to greet Rose and the rest of the family next to us as her sister, Tanya came through. I was never sure with her and honestly, only Jasper knew her true feelings towards anything. The woman could be a stone wall when it came to actually showing her true emotions, it threw me off just a tad.

"Well...don't you look lovely, Catharin." She gave me a small smile as I tight lipped one in return. Things were a little tense at times, though she'd learned early on that flirting with Jasper was a huge no-no with me.

"Mr Whitlock." She let on a flirtatious tone with him. She gave Jasper her hand as he gently took it and placed a light and quick kiss on her knuckles with me watching.

"Please do call me Jasper, ma'am." This was pretty normal for him when he greeted a woman, so I wasn't nearly as bothered. Jasper had been brought up to protect and cherish females via the values his own mother had instilled in him.

"That wouldn't be nearly as fun as you correcting me." She gave him a slow smile as she replied while I stood there, watching the interaction with the strawberry blonde. I wasn't really sure as to what one would do in this situation. I looked to the right as Edward came up behind her, smiling softly.

"Oh. Hi there, Edward." I greeted awkwardly as his strayed towards me.

"Edward!" She turned and was focused on him now. We all knew she was more interested in Edward, however, it wasn't always returned. He once told me that he'd found her a bit dull and uninteresting. The man had some odd tastes in women, that was for sure, the woman was absolutely beautiful. It was no wonder the sisters had earned the title, Succubi.

"You look every bit as lovely as a picture, Tanya." He complimented her.

"Oh, you." She gave him a girlish smile and giggle as she dismissed the compliment. Two more came in with slightly different scents, I felt Jasper straighten in the slightest as he started to watch the doorway.

"This is Carmen and Eleazar." She turned and motioned to the quiet vampires behind her. I looked up to see a 5'11" tall man, with black hair up to his collar and has a light olive cast to his pale skin. While the female had dark brown hair, and a hint of an olive tone to her chalky complexion, she came up to his shoulder.

"Its a pleasure to be in your home." His voice sounded gentle as his mate stood next to him, smiling. The two stood near Irina, demonstrating the vast difference between the blonde woman and the dark haired mates.

"Well its wonderful to have the family all together." Esme replied with hospitality evident as she welcomed them into the living room. Everything eventually settled down as Jasper started to discuss the Volturi guard with Eleazar. I loved him but goodness did the man love strategy and logic debates.

"...and you've just now finished your degree?" I nodded at Kate with a grin.

"Well I can't say that you're not dedicated." She shook her head smiling.

"I wanted to at least go through all the motions myself, otherwise it felt a bit like cheating." I admitted. She nodded understandingly.

"Fair enough. Its admirable, if not silly with your gift." She grinned at that as I returned it unabashedly. It was a little silly that I'd gone through all the motions of theory when I excelled with nearly all human maladies but the rule follower in me had to do it. Now I could easily practice medicine with a clear conscience. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned my head to see Edward.

"Yes?" I raised a brow as I looked at him. He looked a little stressed.

"Esme would like us to play a piece together." He nodded towards the piano. This wasn't all that uncommon for her, she loved Edward's music.

"Did she actually ask for both of us or are you just dealing with some stage fright?" I asked with a slight smile.

"I'd like to see how far you've gotten with my teaching" His eyes narrowed as he sighed at my sass.

"You've been teaching her the piano?" Kate asked looking between us.

"I've been trying to, anyways." He admitted. I rolled my eyes at his statement.

"Oh this will be quite the show then." She decided as I stopped myself from face-palming.

"I could be really good for all you know!" I said with mock anger.

"Think of this as your debut." She grinned at me and patted me on the shoulder. I rolled my eyes and stood. Edward placed his hand on the small of my back as he guided me towards the instrument.

"You'll play, a bit of Edvard Grieg in A minor. It should be good for your tendency to try and beat the strings." He stood over me, flipping a book through to the concerto.

"Oh good." I stated sarcastically as I glared at his hands and sat down. I placed my fingers on the keys and took in a breath, releasing it. I looked up at the worn yellow parchment, _HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. WHAT IS THAT?_ There were so many notes on so many areas.

"It'll be fine. You'll only do the solos." I felt a hand on my shoulder squeeze and release, looking up at Edward with wide eyes. He reflected back total calm and a astonishing lack of anxiety as he sat down next to me. _Apparently he thought I could do this_. He nodded at my thoughts.

I took in another breath and released as I hit the keys and tried to keep up with the line. I was always a little slow for this piece. My ring finger hit the wrong key and suddenly there was another pair of hands, oh good. He saved my ass. We played the same lines until he began to speed up and I took my fingers off the keys, letting him have the rest.

There was a bit of silence when he'd finished and I just sort of sat there, I hadn't even realised it'd gotten this quiet and I couldn't see over the piano's lid. All of a sudden there was a bit of applause and I relaxed. I hadn't screwed up too bad. Edward grinned at me looking excited with the finished work and gave me an awkward side hug.

I stood and went to Jasper. That was a little scary for me. I mean I know I'm older than most humans but preforming wasn't my strong suit when it came to music. Eleazar came up and patted me gently on the shoulder, his mate was next to him.

"Your part was _estupendo_." She said softly. I smiled in thanks assuming that meant it was well done or at least passable.

"Carmen is right. I understand now why Esme wanted you two to play for us." Eleazar added, looking back at Edward as Esme hugged him. She had the proud parent look happening and I'll admit it did give me some sense of accomplishment. I looked up at Jasper as he kissed my head to say well done.

The evening faded quickly into an exchange of gifts, the heads of each coven was first to exchange. After that it was down to pushing Emmett out of the way to look and open each gift. It was really only 4 per couple, one came from each coven then it was just an exchange between the couple's themselves. The Denali sisters gave each other one in place of a mate.

The coven left around 12 AM to go back to their home, it'd been an all together good day. Nothing major had happened and it seemed to be all going smoothly like Esme had wanted. Jasper went up to our room with inspiration to practice his guitar more and I was a little excited to see what he'd come up with. So far he'd stuck with country and songs from bands like Def Leppard. They were new but he seemed to love every song they came out with.

I was sitting at the piano again, trying to figure out what was gentle for a piano. For some reason I could stitch up a human's insides without breaking a sweat but I couldn't hit a key without some amount of force. The house was rather quiet, just about everyone excluding Jasper, Edward, and I were out hunting and wouldn't be back for a little.

"Cat?" Edward's voice sounded hesitant behind me. I turned my head slightly to signal I'd seen him. There was a little box distributed in front of the sheet music. I looked up from the keys to pick it up. The paper was a deep red and the ribbon was thin, wrapped around it giving it a touch of midnight blue.

"Its nothing much...just a thank you." He declared softly from behind me. I almost tensed and forced myself not to look up. Jasper could hear us but it was just a gift. _Calm down, Cat._ I slowly pulled back the paper to see a silver coin shaped object with a hole. It seemed like it was a charm with _"Remember"_ written on the back. I flipped it over and paused as I recognized it from the Anchorage trip. It was a piece of the map encased in resin, a memento of sorts.

It wasn't as though this was something large or affectionate, it was just..a piece of paper and metal. Jasper had gotten me packets of seeds and ceramic bowls for them to fit on our window sills while I'd gotten him plane tickets. Those were more substantial for us. Esme and Carlisle gave us the new family crest. My own was a choker of sorts with the crest hanging in the middle, Jasper's was a wrist cuff.

We were going to go to a WWII wall of names on memorial day. He'd really only told me years after we'd gotten married that he had fought there under wraps and had also apparently 'died' there. I didn't question it assuming he really had just been fighting for years, it was something he was good at for sure. I gave Edward a tight smile as a thank you and put it in my pant's pocket. I wasn't sure of what to do with it as I walked into our room and sat down on the stupid purple couch that I refused to give up.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Jasper asked me over the sound of his guitar. He sounded neutral, I looked up to see him watching his own fingers. It had me a little on edge at it's implications. He didn't say anything more as I just watched him.

"Maybe later." I whispered as I looked out the window at the darker landscape. We didn't turn into light bulbs anymore but I almost missed the sunlight coming in through the tall windows. The strumming stopped as I spoke.

"...Are you sure?" Jasper asked darkly, I looked back at him. His hand was gripping the guitar's neck while he watched my movements. His face was nearly all neutral, the only thing giving him away was our years together. He was suspicious and I knew it. I watched him watch me for a few minutes before he held out his hand. I sighed as I tossed the charm into his hand.

"Interesting." He muttered as he caught it swiftly and flipped it over in his hands. He set the guitar down next to him as he leaned on his knees on the bed's side.

"Its nothing." I mumbled as I looked out the window again. If I had a heart, it'd probably be thundering by now. I knew it was worrying him but something in me had this...odd innate need to some how shield Edward from Jasper's anger at times. I think it was just the fact that each time they clashed, Esme seemed incredibly upset at that. I couldn't blame her, Edward may be able to read thoughts but a lot of Jasper's fighting was instinct at this point. On the other hand...I was _totally_ on another rebellion strike just to see how far he'd let me go with this and partly, I was curious.

"Are you sure?" Jasper asked just as darkly as the first time. I looked back at him trying to keep my face and emotions tightly packed and neutral as I shrugged. He merely sat there, watching me as I watched him. It'd turned into a waiting game to see who'd crack first.

"Fine." He said as he leaned back on the bed frame with his legs crossed and his hands behind his head.

"Fine." I shrugged with some attitude. Oh good. Hes gotten comfortable. Why did I think this was a good idea to try and wait out a guy that was obviously more patient than I've ever been? He _knows_ hes more patient. I did a speed run through a medical degree for goodness sakes. He was perfectly fine to lay there and wait until I snapped. We sat there for an hour or so before I stood.

"Where do you think you're going?" He questioned as he appeared in front of me, leaning on the door. I glared at him as I looked away and sat down on the bed again.

"This would be a lot easier if you'd just come out with it. Come on, darlin'. I'm an _empath._ I _know_ when you're on an emotional roller coaster. You've been doing this up and down thing since you got back and I've waited patiently for a few months for you to just come out with it but...you're not. Why aren't you?" He let a crack of guilt and worry slip through making me feel absolutely awful. He sighed as he sat down next to me and put his head in his hands.

"I...worry." I answered cryptically as I forced myself not to just hug him and scream I'M SORRY.

"What could you possibly be so worried about? I'm here. I'll protect you no matter what. I promised that years ago." He looked up at me with a deeply furrowed brow as I shook my head.

"No, no. Theres nothing thats going to hurt me, its not that kinda worry." I explained as he just frowned at me some more, waiting for me to continue.

"Look...Edwardjustsortaconfessedtome." I took in a breath and ratted out my adopted brother with speed. I knew Jasper caught it just from the look on his face. He looked grim, like he'd expected this.

It felt odd to admit it out loud. Edward _was_ a brother to me but it was more that I considered him close enough to me to be a family member but this ongoing attraction was something alien to me. He wasn't on the same level as a human leering when I walked past but quieter from afar. More along the lines of honest appreciation..curiousity even.

"Then whats he done thats worrying you so bad? Did he try something?" Jasper was back on the trail for answers it seemed. I sighed and shook my head.

"Not at all. I just worried about what _you'd_ do to him." I admitted with some guilt at my fear. Jasper stared at me for a bit.

"Would it really make you that unhappy if I did anything?" He asked quietly. I nodded. It would.

"Then I won't do anything to a point." He promised as I let out a breath of relief.

"However." He stopped the breath half way and I felt the fear sink in, he was going to spank me for hiding it.

"If this happens again, you're going to be punished thoroughly. I won't this time to show you that I'm more than hitting and killing." He snapped out as I nodded. That was fair. I was more just excited that I wasn't about to be spanked.

"Kay, Jazzy." I grinned as I threw my hands over his shoulders and kissed them. He didn't relax like I expected, instead he seemed to almost be annoyed.

"A hug and a kiss isn't going to fix a few months of hiding something from me, Catharin." He stated with a sigh as he pulled away from me. I frowned at this.

"Then we'll work on it. You'll have to peel me off of you." I determined with a smaller smile as I put my hands in my lap.


	15. Chapter 15

The 80s were an odd time for humanity. They were more...liberal than usual but they were a lot more dangerous to our kind with their media outlets. It was much easier to get caught. We were still isolated in Alaska but I'd found myself bored all day these days, I tried to spend as much time as I could around Jasper but it seemed like he stayed around me out of necessity. That hurt but it was expected after the little Edward thing, I was just happy he kept the glares and growls down to a minimum.

I think it was a few months after everything it'd calmed down a bit. It was really then that Jasper and Edward seemed to reach an impasse. I was sitting quietly next to Edward on the piano bench, pressing random keys that were supposedly apart of a _Hungarian Rhapsodies._ Edward called it _Liszt_. The first portion moved a little too quickly for me but the others were just slow enough.

"Sounds good." Edward nodded and stood, walking over to look through the windows in the living room. I didn't respond, I'd been trying to show Jasper there was nothing else but often enough Jasper would just watch and _feel._ I figured he'd understand it if he looked inside.

"Sounds like she's gotten better. Its like she had 5 hands now." Emmett commented then looked over at Jasper for a grin or anything. Jasper just continued to watch the TV, not saying anything.

"God. You're worse than _Edward_ now, man." He mumbled.

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Edward asked incredulously as he walked back over. He was leaning on the piano lid with his arms crossed.

"It means that since you've started to _pursue_ my wife, I've not been happy about it but she won't let me tear your head off without justification." Emmett snorted but Jasper answered with venom in his voice.

"Pursue isn't what I'm doing. Its more a of waiting game." Edward sneered as he took a few steps closer.

"Excuse me?" Jasper asked darkly from the living room. I looked up, worried now at the sound of him walking closer. I could hear Esme stop cutting her paper in the other room, Carlisle wasn't home and Rose was more likely egg Jasper on than actually stop him. He was one of the stronger vampires in the family when it came to a blood-lust.

"Wait...Edward? And _Cat_?" Rose asked incredulously as she popped in from the side door. I took my hands off the piano keys and frowned at the the room.

"Wow. Didn't think Eddie would ever make it far with her." Emmett whistled appreciatively, looking back at Rose. She frowned at that, looking between Jasper and Emmett almost worried.

"What? Hes not made it anywhere." I looked back at them with annoyance, this was just making it worse.

"I kinda see it now. Started with her killing his piano and turned into an affair. Hes a masochist, alright." Emmett nodded with a grin. I knew he was joking but the words clung to the air creating a tense room. I turned around at the sound of a window shattering like cymbals being crashed together.

"EDWARD!" Esme came out of her room running the same time I did, we jumped through the window and landed softly. Jasper was basically kicking the shit out of Edward. Edward would get in a swing and duck while my mate decked him. This continued for a good portion, clouds of dust and dirt erupted as they hit the ground I could a conversation but I couldn't catch the topics. Then Jasper seemed to have had enough and knocked his feet out from under him.

"You so much as touch her again, you won't even have to worry about _making love_ to her." Snarling as he grabbed his throat.

"How do you know she didn't reciprocate? We both know she had doubts over your bloody past, _Major_." Edward just glared up at him, done fighting back. Esme held onto my arm, looking worried. I could try and get involved but honestly we all knew this was most likely going to happen once Edward had decided he wouldn't give up.

"It was you." Jasper hissed as his grip tightened.

"Jasper please. Hes young." Esme mumbled looking terrified she was about to lose a son. She looked back at Emmett who sighed and nodded taking a few steps forward.

"No. They settle this between themselves. Hes young but he should know better by now." Rose put out her hand, stopping the big burly vampire. He shrugged and stayed back, she was the dominant one there.

"We both know shes not suited for you, you're too..." Edward ran out of air at that point stopping him from talking more. I sighed.

"Too what exactly? Part of marriage is that _both_ parties agree." He hissed as I heard Edward take in a breath.

"Too much of a **killer**." Edward said smugly.

"Fuck this." Jasper snarled and pulled off Edward's left arm as Esme took in a breath sharply. She put her hand over her mouth with tense shoulders. His insides were black and dusty, it looked like a head of cabbage that had been so moldy it just sort of become a solid all over again. I watched as he tossed it over the treetops and stood again, looking down at him then back at me.

"I'm done with you, Cullen. Catharin...we need to talk." Jasper stood looking grim, he walked close and held up a hand. I frowned as I slowly placed mine in it and I was pulled out of Esme's grasp. Jasper tensed then relaxed as Carlisle came out of the trees, he ran towards Esme and hugged her to him.

"Pushed too far, didn't you?" Carlisle sighed as he watched Edward stand, he was a little unbalanced. He looked back as Jasper nodded, Carlisle sighed. Apparently Carlisle had seen this coming for a while.

I frowned as Jasper pulled me forward into the trees and foliage. We moved pretty fast, scaring the hell out of the wildlife, until we came to a clearing of sorts. There was a lake, things had been tense between us as I sat down and looked at the water. Jasper checked every statement I made and refused to go past a hug, it'd been a dry spell for months now.

"Cat..." Jasper sounded neutral when he called my name. I looked back at him with a frown.

"Why couldn't you have just told me? You let it slip by for months. Now how do I know that something else hasn't happened? Whats one lie or two or three?" He scoffed and shook his head. He leaned on a tree and sighed.

"Look...we can do one of two things or let this go. We've had a good run, Cat. 26 years married and nearly 130 years together, heh. 50 of those we didn't even know. I don't know how bad I would have gotten if I hadn't found you in that diner." He shook his head as he sunk down the tree, his smile disappeared entirely as he began to massage his head.

"Probably fighting the territory wars again." I mumbled as I gripped my other arm tightly. My heart wasn't beating but it felt like I was just dying over again. He looked up at me and took in a breath, letting it out.

"Either you follow rules I set in place until I feel comfortable enough that you've not gone and fucked him, we leave for an undetermined amount of time or I just...go. You could live on here, with..Ed-...him." He seemed to choke up at the end of the words.

"Jasper..." I whispered starting to shake. I didn't want him to leave me, ever. The fucking week in Anchorage was hard enough. I started to shake my head, hard. My hair slapped me in the face and back as I shook. This couldn't be happening.

"NO! No. Nononono." I felt the venom well up in my eyes as I started to cry. They were quaking sobs as I let the fact that I'd drove away my mate sink in. I felt arms come around my shoulders, pulling me back towards their owner. I took in a wet breath to continue crying when I smelled him. It made me freeze, he was talking.

"Catharin, darlin'. I'm sorry. I love you, please, please, please. Stop crying." He was rubbing my back and mumbling into my hair. He hadn't left yet, I still had a chance. I pulled back and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down.

"Cath-" He sounded confused as I pulled his lips to mine.

_**LEMON** _

In a desperate frenzy, mine smacked into his as it took him a second before he really responded I'd already began to trace his lips. His grip tightened as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly staring into mine. His tongue traced the front row of my teeth lingering on the canines as I tried to do the same. His slid out as he bit my bottom lip roughly. I whined and found it elicited a reaction in him as he gripped my frame tighter, his hands traveling to my hair. I'd had it down today and it seemed he was going to take advantage.

"Rules or we leave? Whats it going to be?" He wrapped the bottom portion around his fist and pulled my head back as he started to nip around my neck. We were both breathing heavy as each prick of his teeth made me wet and more desperate to please, I'd missed this feeling in the past months.

"Which one, **Cat**? I'm not leaving you to him now." He bit down harder on my name, pressing on his mark and making my legs go weak.

"W-which ever you want, Jazzy." I bit down on my lip as he laid us down on the leaves and brush underneath the green foliage.

"Which ever? What about both?" He chuckled darkly as his hand slipped up my t shirt, there wasn't anything under it but skin. He knew I never wore a bra, didn't grow up with it and I'd never needed it in my long life. The shirts came off quickly leaving me to admire the scars that run all along his torso.

"Sound's good." I whispered as I went to sit up to kiss him again but he laid me back down. He was gentle but firm when he handled my chest. I felt his thumb and pointer finger come together to squeeze my right breast, rolling it in between his fingers. I felt the moan bubble up and run over as he pinched the nipple between his teeth.

"Found it." He whispered wryly as he watched my body shake and jump. There was always a little area somewhere on my right nipple that made my body jump, it always amused him to play with it before he ever started to eat me out.

"Ja-sper!" I got out his name with a mix of annoyance and a husky tone that screamed I wanted more than him playing. He leaned down and kissed the now sore area softly as his hands started to work on sliding my jeans off of me. I went to pull them off when he stopped my hands and held them above my head.

"Rule 1, Cat. I'm calling the shots here. If I ask you to strip, then go ahead, babe. Strip down. But..." As he spoke, his other hand started to slap a breast for every sentence. I bit my lip harder with every sting.

"Otherwise...I'll do it." His hand let go of mine as he leaned down to pull my chin towards him. His kissed me softly with a smile forming as his hand drifted down and started to play with my pussy. I whined in anticipation as I felt him shift away from my face to _finally_ eat me out.

"Someone missed me." He sounded like the fact that only a few minutes down there had me wet as hell already, was a huge ego booster.

"Yes!" I moaned as I came unceremoniously. I'd missed the feeling big time, which was a surprise considering I hadn't had that _ever..._ until I'd slept with Jasper. It really only took the one time for me get hooked on him. He took special care when he was getting my body ready for his, sometimes it was rough and sometimes it was a smooth experience from the start to the finish. The man had a serious libido and with it, came his endurance. He was ready just about any time I was.

"Perfect." His words came out breathy and husky as I felt his tip enter.

"God you're tight." He grabbed my hips and pulled me towards him as he built up his speed. Each time he pushed in the force moved my body back, forcing him to grab my hips as I felt the guttural noises come in and out of my throat. My arms moved without any rhyme or reason as I was hit with the waves of lust stemming from the empath's member banging my pussy after months of worry and lust. I'd lost just about all of my senses as I focused on the friction building up, I knew he was going to cum soon.

"Unh, Jasper!" I felt my voice go an octave higher as I came again. This time it was much stronger and drawn out, stemming from my spine and reaching my extremities. When the high wore off and I remembered where we were and what had happened, Jasper had pulled out and was laying next to me.

"Did you cum?" I asked quietly. He mhm'd as he twirled a piece of my hair over his finger.

"You seemed to have fun, darlin'." He grinned as he laid next to me.

"Its kinda been a while." I smiled back. It was amazing to see him smile back at me for once in what felt like forever. He nodded at that.

_**LEMON OVER** _

"That it has. I'm sorry, Cat. Honestly I was terrified you'd slept with him." He frowned as he kissed the piece of hair he had and let it fall back.

"I'd...never." I felt a stab of hurt at that throwing him into action.

"I know that now. Its just been me thats only ever charmed you and then when chisel-jaw over there talked about it all...I just ripped his damn arm off." He hugged me to him as I frowned into his hair.

"Regret it?" I whispered with some curiousity. He snorted at that.

"Not a snowball's chance in hell." He deadpanned. I sighed but nestled deeper into his shoulder, comfortable now.

"Where are we going?" I asked softly. He made a hmm sort of sound as he thought.

"Hows...South America sound, doll?" He queried.

"Sounds wonderful. Why do we have to leave though?" I nodded into him.

"Because I need to feel secure with you again and you need to feel secure with me. I love you, _strongly,_ I really do. I'd do anything in the world and then some for you, you gave me a new life and I know its mutual but...He kept using you as a threat, like you'd leave me for him at the drop of a coin and the whole reason I was threatened was because I had those little doubts. That you would and I honestly think you had some doubts too. I can't live like that, wondering when my wife's going to leave me for my adopted brother." He pulled back and looked me in the eyes as he spoke.

"I did. I kept thinking about the fact that it felt like you were just built for war sometimes and I got scared that you really were." I shrugged awkwardly as I admitted it. He nodded understandingly.

"Then I think we've got some work ahead of us, Cat." He spoke with a small smile, like he was excited to do the work.

"We do." I returned the smile. I was definitely willing if nothing else.

* * *

"So you're really going?" Rose sounded depressed as she asked. I nodded sadly. Rose had been helping me pick out clothes for South America.

"Yeah." I sighed.

"Damn. Got my sister just to have her bail to work on her marriage, what a drag." She spoke with a smile, jokingly.

"I know, right? Just had to do that stupid marriage thing." I reflected it, getting a laugh out of her. Rose came off as a bitch a lot of the times to outsiders but I think it had a lot to do with her being terrified that she'd lose her stable base. Her family. She was a rape survivor in the end and a lot of people didn't know that she had reason to her madness so to speak.

"Seriously though, you two will be fine. Emmett had the same issues when we got into a high school setting. Everyone's got to do some work to stick together." She put her hand on my shoulder as we sat in Jasper and I's room.

"I know. Thanks, Rose." I squeezed her hand and smiled, nodding. There was a knock on the door as it opened to reveal Jasper.

"Ready?" He asked patiently as he put his hands behind his back. I nodded and stood to zip up my suitcase, after checking everything including the current outfit. I was wearing the flared jeans again with a loose knit top and flats. They'd do to run or ride in. Jasper carried the case down the stairs to the waiting car. Esme wanted to be there to see us off at the airport and it'd look odd to just walk out of the forest with a suitcase.

"Remember that you have a home here, okay? Always." Esme sounded teary as she hugged me to her.

"We will." I rubbed her back as I spoke.

"Alright. Have everything? Send me some letters or something!" She pulled back and dotted her eyes as she nodded. I smiled and nodded back. I would.

Rose hugged me quickly as did Emmett. Edward was next to Emmett, his arm reattached after they'd found it. I looked at Jasper for a nod or something before I hugged him. He paused, seeming to calculate before nodding. I hugged him a little longer than Rose simply because he choose not to let go as quickly. Jasper cleared his throat as I forcefully pulled away.

"See you soon, son." Carlisle nodded with a small smile as he shook Jasper's hand. With that, we turned and passed through the security line, and onto our gate then plane. We'd go from Alaska to Texas where we'd meet with Peter and Charlotte to travel on foot.


	16. Chapter 16

"Hey Char." I greeted as she came into the hole in a wall coffee shop. We'd been around Colombia the most in the past two or three years, this wasn't it's safest time for a human which somehow led to Jasper implementing his rule of me staying next to him 24-7.

At first I didn't mind, it was almost sweet...then three years or so later I was getting tired of it. The guerrilla groups both left and right had gotten more and more active, there were reports saying they'd started to pick on the civilians which only led him to enforcing the rule _more_. It wasn't as though they could hurt me and he knew it but I think it was a protective thing.

"Hey Cat, Major." She nodded to both of us as she sat down.

"It's been confirmed. Three were taken and executed yesterday outside of the old Railroad Station. Peter and I are goin' huntin'." She leaned closer to us as Jasper watched the area and it's people around us. Apparently when he said we'd need to feel more secure, he thought putting us in the middle of a political war was a great idea. I stared at her for a second. Jasper had already fallen back onto a human diet while I'd _tried_ to stick to animal with trips to the butchers around Bogotá.

"We'll join you." I decided with a sigh. I felt Jasper's hand squeeze my thigh and looked over at him.

"Cat, you've not had human since the 30s. You sure you want to throw that away?" He was frowning. I nodded.

"I'll be fine when we go back to Alaska or wherever." I waved off his concerns. He looked back at Char who shrugged, she looked behind us at the oncoming waitress and waved her off as she stood.

"Tomorrow, at 9." She nodded and turned, leaving. Jasper tossed down a few bills as we stood. He guided me with his hand wrapped around my waist out of the shop and down the street. It was close to midnight when we heard the commotion first start. There were sounds of a woman screaming near our apartment forcing me to stop him and follow the sound.

"Catharin...baby. You don't want to do that." He shook his head as he stilled me. My Spanish had improved however marginally, she was screaming for someone to help her.

"You'd help me. We're helping her." I glared. He sighed and nodded as he began to move stealthily now, walking in front of me.

"CATHARIN! GET BACK HERE THIS MOMENT!" She let out a pained screech forcing me into action as I turned the corner, ignoring Jasper's command.

The man spun while the female looked terrified for me, as she laid on the ground with an newly carved wound into her side. I watched as he shouted something at me I didn't care to translate. I took a step closer, gauging the distance and the risk for her if I jumped him. I took another two steps, watching him wave the knife around as he shouted louder at me. I sighed and decided that I'd just wing it. I took another few and watched the man panic and stab at me, the knife cut through my favourite knit shirt and bent against my skin.

"Bruja." The male whispered it as he pulled the knife back, staring at it's shape. I sighed as his face turned into one of terror, the reaction was typical but I felt more like snapping his neck at the moment.

"YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE OFF, CATHARIN." Jasper came around me, bellowing angrily as he grabbed the man and yanked. There was a moment of complete horror on the man's face as he realized the predicament he was in. I looked him in the eyes as Jasper pulled, one snap and the mans eyes rolled up as the life in him left him. I felt no remorse. He deserved to die in my eyes.

"It's fine, Jazz." I sighed as I went around him to the female. I knelt down and balanced on the balls of my feet. She jumped back as my hands glided over her wound, whispering what sounded like a prayer.

"Can you calm her down, please? I can't do anything if she won't let me touch her. " I looked back at Jasper, my medical side came out as I ignored the fury on his face. She needed my attention and she'd have all of it.

"Fine!" He hissed and I watched her shoulders go slack as she looked back at me, nearly comatose. Her eyes were alert but her body seemed to have just about given up. I placed my hands on her side, closing my eyes as I reached into her torso. I looked around searching for anything else that might hurt her, she had black tar in her lungs that I set about dissipating, when I felt the organs were clean I went and pulled the string of muscle together, moving on to the skin.

"Cat. We're leaving. Now." Jasper spoke as I stood again. I looked back at him then at her and bit the inside of my cheek as I thought about how to phrase it.

"But...We can't just _leave_ her here." I motioned back to the woman, as he hauled the Colombian over his shoulder.

"Fine!" He growled as he went past me and threw her over his shoulder as well. I followed him as we went through the streets, going between Allies and buildings until we came to a dilapidated neighborhood. His eyes scanned the various names before ringing one and yelling something in Spanish into the mic as he sat her down. She looked more awake, moving her head to watch us. I smiled at her as Jasper pulled me away into the night.

"You could have been hurt! Do you understand that?" He asked me heatedly as he pulled me along.

"He had a _knife,_ Jasper. I hardly think he could." I scoffed as he growled.

"HE COULD HAVE HAD A GUN. THOSE HURT US, CATHARIN." He bellowed, scaring me slightly. I didn't have a human to focus on now, all I had was an angry mate and a dead man hanging over his shoulder.

"And _now_ we have a witness. She'll remember our faces! Should have just snapped her neck too and saved me the trouble." Jasper threw his hand up in exasperation as he continue to rant. That wasn't as nearly as bad as the other bit.

"Jasper!" I scolded him.

"You're in trouble, Cat. Don't bother trying that tone with me." He glared back at me as he motioned to the male. I sighed and nodded. Jasper went quiet after that, mumbling to himself.

"Alright. Heres what we're going to do. We'll just drop him back there, dip 'im in some blood and leave him there." He looked over at me as we neared the same alley. I nodded as we turned the corner. I watched him dump the man into the puddle and bend the knife back into shape. He moved quickly, as he finished and pulled me into our apartment building next door. Peter and Char were home already, appraising us as Jasper paced angrily.

"What'd you do hun?" Char looked over at me with a half smile. I opened my mouth to tell her as Jasper jumped in.

"She disobeyed me directly. Broke my _one_ rule for here. ONE RULE, for a human." Jasper glowered as he stopped and motioned towards the alley. He spit out the word human with disgust. I'd started to realize when he was angry his Texan accent came through much stronger adding a twang onto the end of all his words.

"A woman was being hurt. I went after the guy, Jasper was worried he'd have gun." I sighed as Jasper growled at the memory. Char frowned at that.

"Did he?" Peter stood, sounding worried as he looked both of us over.

"No. He just had a knife. It was a risk we never had to take if she'd just _listen_." Jasper shook his head.

"Look...Jazzy. I know you're afraid of losing me. I get that. I appreciate it. Thing is that I'm like a machine built to kill their kind." I tried to calm him with a soft voice as I reached out to take his hand and squeezed it. For some reason it didn't feel off for Jasper to show humility around Peter and Charlotte, I guessed it was from having seen battle with them.

"Major, how about we show her some skills? I'm guessing you're a little off about it because lets face it, Cat, honey. You're useless at tracking, hitting... I don't think you could swat at a fly." Char patted my leg as she said it. I let a corner of my mouth slip up as I nodded. Yup. Yes I was. I looked back at Jasper.

"Alright. Yeah. Thats a good plan. We'll try it out with the groups." He nodded to both himself and the idea. I smiled at it as he sat back down on the couch, sliding an arm around my shoulders as he kissed the side of my head.

* * *

"Now. Theres around 15 of them and four of us. Peter, you and Char take the rear and left flank of them. We'll take the other half and the right. Remember to watch for _any_ heavy artillery and once you start, don't leave them to change. They've not gotten another shipment of weapons in a few weeks, looks like. They'll run out pretty quick and I'm figurin' they'll go for a head on shot. Now we have the element of surprise on our side but I'd rather we kept it. Quick and quiet, guys." Jasper spoke lowly as we hung around the site. Both Peter and Charlotte had a serious game face on as they listened.

This was his specialty though I'd never personally seen him in action. It was fascinating to see as he took a mere glance and picked up on any means of force they could possibly have. I was excited when we'd started here but it seemed Jasper wanted me in the zone as I felt it melt away to a controlled calm. He'd made me promise to stick by his side the entire time since he knew 'Peter and Char can handle themselves'.

We stood and the show had begun. Peter and Charlotte started picking off the one's that were on the outside ring, the only sounds they'd made were cracks and pops as each human lost their spine's connection to their heads. I felt wrong to see the humans being killed from all my years of healing them but I kept telling myself they'd killed many more and would continue. It had to be done.

Jasper made a circling motion as he looked across as Peter. I watched as he nodded and started to move towards the rear entrance of the large metal barn style building.

"I'm front, you're back. If you panic, its fine. I'm here, I'll take care of it." Jasper looked back and me and jerked his thumb at the four men sitting in a circle as he took my hand and kissed the knuckles. I nodded quickly, I understood what I was to do. Jasper took in a breath and nodded. We moved in unison purely from years together, I stood behind one placing my hands on the side of his head and shoulders, and just jerked. He went down like a bag of rocks, we moved too quickly for the other men to react in time to alert anyone before they too went down.

"All good?" I stepped away and stared down at their bodies as I felt Jasper's hand come around to rest on my hip. I looked back at my husband with a ghost of a smile.

"I'm fine, Jazz." I nodded as we went to meet Peter and Charlotte around the back. The last three gave us issues as we snapped the other four. It was too late for us to still sneak as they'd grabbed their side arms before we could finish with the first few. I stared with confusion as Peter and Charlotte dropped down almost immediately then realised why when I looked back at the humans. It was a Gatlin gun? I think?

"Gaitling!" It created an awful amount of noise, scaring me, as it started up battering the back wall with reams of bullets. I was pulled to the ground as Jasper yanked me roughly to him.

"Oh wow." I mumbled as I took in the Swiss cheese that used to be the rear wall. He was breathing hard, I could feel his chest raise and shrink rapidly against my back as I sat between his legs. He'd wrapped both arms around my front, holding me tightly to him. When the noise stopped, I felt him let go and pull me up as he ran at the humans, snarling.

"Alright. We're all good." He appeared again, as I took his arm. He was calm as he looked back at me, almost smiling. He loved this sorta thing. I could see it in his eyes.

"We found our meal back outside." I looked over at Peter and Char as they smiled softly back at us and nodded back towards the wall behind them. I was still out of it, amazed at the destruction these humans could cause. That could have been _me_. They disappeared out of sight and I could feel Jasper's eyes on me.

"Anyone catch your fancy?" I looked back at him and shrugged.

"Which ever, I guess." I looked around the room at the one who'd been operating the weapon. His shoulder had been torn open but he wasn't bleeding out. Jasper had already drank him dry I supposed.

"I figured you'd say that. Hes still kicking, won't feel a thing though." He nodded, and motioned to the one next to him, I could still hear a heart beat.

"Right." I nodded as I knelt down, it'd been a long while since I'd drank a human. I wasn't all that sure of what to do, my throat was burning but years of training had me ignoring it.

"Instincts. Cat. Let them run free." He either saw or felt my confusion as he directed me. I grinned and nodded, I understood. I took in a breath and released it. Tuning in to the situation and ignoring the past events. Everything in me excluding the need to heal was screaming to sink my canines into this man's throat and for once I gave in, draining him.

I looked up after, feeling a new found power pumping through me. I felt..renewed. Stronger even. Jasper's hand was extended as he looked down at me warily.

"Whoo. Thought I lost ya there for a second. We need to work on your reaction time, babe." I grinned as I took it.

"I did pretty well though. Right?" I checked as he gave me a small smile. It made sense, why he had so much trouble letting go of this feeling. He loved fighting and in order to win you had to be strong, it gave him a mental edge that translated into his physical stature.

"With the humans, mostly. Vampires aren't nearly as slow or easy." He snorted as I shrugged. Fair enough.


	17. Chapter 17

The next year was spent with him, Peter and Char training me. The first month I tasted the dirt so many times I'd just memorized it's texture. It was hard to get a break when your partner _knows_ you don't really need one. Really the only times I'd gotten a break was to hunt for a human or to spend some time around Jazzy. We were getting stronger and safer with each other which really only made me want to win the sparring contests even more.

It was nearly all to make him proud. I knew it was odd that his mate had all of 0 clue of how to fight anyone and in that way Jasper and I were close to opposites. I spent just about all of my immortality focusing on healing the humans and hating them at the same time while he'd spent most of it killing humans and vampires alike. He ran out of places to fight when WWII finished in the forties.

Whenever I'd bring up Esme or even Edward he'd shrug and tell her that he sent his regards. (I translated that into love almost every time.) Edward, however, he'd send letters and while Jasper would bring them to me he wasn't always fond of their contents. It started with him missing me, telling me about a new song he'd thought up or a show he thought I'd enjoy to almost a mourning. They'd gotten angry, then pleading, then he'd starting to try and make a deal and finally it seemed he went into a depression. I was waiting for him to merely accept I wasn't writing back but at times his words weighted on me.

"Once you're done writing Esme, come out to the field." Jasper spoke neutrally as he passed by our room. I looked up from the page and nodded and he continued on his way out. I finished the letter and slipped it into it's envelope.

Lately Esme spoke of a new member, she was single and unmated and seemed to have a penchant for telling the future. The vampire was excited to meet us, apparently. I stood and stretched a little as I slipped the packet into my pant's waistband and pulled my shirt over it, trying to keep it from getting wet. I wandered out the apartment and over the street to the grassy area during one of the nightly thunderstorms. It caused the grass to be a little wet and slick but this was really the only way we could work. Vampires hitting each other got loud sometimes and after the man in the alley, Jazzy wasn't taking chances with being found out.

"We're going to start one on one until you at least match your opponent...Is that seriously your letter in your pants?" Jasper announced as he looked between me and the envelope sticking out of my pants and shirt. It caused the shape of a letter to form on the shirt's fabric.

"Yup. Couldn't fit it in my pocket." I nodded and crossed my arms. He smiled and shook his head as he walked closer.

"I'll hold onto it then." His hand slipped down and pulled the letter out as he softly kissed me. It was a good luck kiss. I shook off the tension as I looked across the field at Char. She grinned back at me and took a bow as I rolled my eyes. We looked over at Jasper as he stood there with his hands behind his back and his legs spread in a wide stance, he looked at me then her and nodded. It was on.

She ran to the side as I ran back, she was trying to get me from the side and we both knew it. It was one of her favourite moves. I scaled a tree as she ran back into the field, searching. She came close and I took my shot to tackle her from above. I sailed down and watched as she looked up last second, she moved but wasn't fast enough as I clipped her side and she came down as I tumbled next to her.

"TIE." Jasper called from the side sounding excited. We sat up and high fived, she gave me a thumbs up as I stood, dusting off myself. Peter was next. He was the least likely to cut me a break but he also wasn't allowed to genuinely hit me with the intention to kill...like one _would_ in a real fight. Jasper watched those matches like a hawk, he'd haul Peter off if he felt like the guy was being too rough. I felt like it lost it's value as a real fight after that though he'd come close to losing his cool when I got a hit or two in.

"Hey! Peter?" I called out as we got into position.

"Yeah?" He raised a brow with a slow grin forming.

"Try this time. I want to see the full thing." I called out.

"Eh. We'll see if you can even hold up to half of it, darlin'." He snorted as he flicked a piece of lint off his jacket's collar. I rolled my eyes as I spread my legs and hunkered down, getting into position.

Jasper nodded again and this time Peter ran head on only to have me step off to the side. He grinned as he changed course, heading for me. I made a split second decision as I broke into a run only to flip over his head. He looked back, confused with his brow furrowed as I pushed off his head with my hands. My style was more to evade them until they had a weak moment allowing me to just slide in there. Definitely hadn't been that aggressive in any match.

He started to look back again as I turned and started running at his back as he tried to slow to a stop. I'd made a decision. I was basically just going to ram into his back and hope I hit hard enough. As I did, we tumbled and a cloud of dirt erupted as we slide. He went to slug me in the jaw with some fury as I kneed him as hard as I could letting out a bout of thunder. We started to roll as he tried to get on top to hold me but I'd push us again forcing him to lay on the ground. I wasn't heavy enough to really have anything outside of pure force.

He landed a hit as my head ricocheted to the side and we rolled again, I felt his hands wrap around my throat tightening and pulling ever so slightly as I started to truly panic. I hit him in the chest but it did nothing to hinder him so I started to try and kick him off, the hands were getting tighter and tighter as they pulled my head away from my shoulders.

"Peter!" I could hear Jasper snap out his name in a commanding tone as I clawed at his hands. I'd lost all form of sense but my survival instincts kicked in, refusing to let him do this. I watched Peter's eyes narrow as he snarled. He was gone mentally and I knew it. I glared and let go of his hands for a split second to help propel myself as I headbutted him and threw him to the side when he loosened his grip.

"TIE." Jasper called sounding worried. I looked back at Peter as he got to his feet quickly, his eyes weren't on anyone around us, just zeroed in on me. I tried to stumble quickly to my feet as he took off, heading for me. For a brief second I thought he'd get to me before I could get up but right as I did, Jasper side swiped him.

"ENOUGH." Jasper's voice thundered as they bounced off each other and rolled. I looked as Jasper and Charlotte held him down. He was snapping and snarling as Jasper seemed to work his charm, calming him down. Peter stood as Charlotte held onto him, frowning.

"I apologize, Catharin. Don't know where my head went." He looked up at me, shaking his head.

"I understand. Its fine." I gave him a half smile as I dismissed it.

"Do you still want to continue?" Jasper went up to me, moving my hair out of the way as he checked my neck and head. I nodded and he watched me for a moment. I watched Charlotte and Peter start to move off the field, leaving. I couldn't blame them, it seemed like Peter was dealing with some flashbacks.

"Are you sure?" He frowned at me as I nodded again.

"Yes, Jasper." I replied exasperatedly as I shooed his hands away from me. He sighed and nodded, taking his position at the opposite end. This time Jasper seemed more distracted which gave me the feeling he'd go easy. He went for the side and I stepped to the side, giggling. He turned again, this time with a grin forming. I knew he was too close for me to side step again so instead I ran off to the side. He followed closely on my tail I tried to stop and have him run past when he caught me and spun me around to face him.

"Hey." He greeted softly with a lazy smile as he pulled me closer. I grinned as I ducked out of his arms and this time he spun around, looking for me but on the wrong side. I ran towards him to have him think I'd try to ram him when instead I simply jumped over him, giggling again. He caught me this time swinging me around gently to his front. I figured, fight ended and wrapped my legs around his waist as he held me up.

"Can't get away now." He spoke huskily with the same lazy smile as he hefted me to show I couldn't. I rolled my eyes at that and pecked him on the nose.

"Who says I wanted too?" I grinned at him as I unwrapped my legs.

"Fair enough." He shrugged and slowly set me down on my own two feet again. I leaned on him as I felt him hum into my hair, he was happy again. Looks like 4 years later, my Jazzy was back to his usual self.

"You've been doing better." I commented into his chest and felt him nod.

"I have, doll. I think you just needed a reminder." He countered. I pulled back and looked him in the eyes for a second. It felt like he was partly blaming me for the doubts he'd had before.

"Do I affect you that badly?" I asked quietly feeling a blossom of guilt begin as I thought back to my behaviors. He seemed to frown at it as he nodded.

"You do. I don't think you remember sometimes that I feel all that you feel and your feelings are the most important." He replied just as quiet as I.

"I did need the reminder. Are you ever going to forget about it?" I sighed and nodded. I leaned back onto him as I thought about it.

"No way in hell. I'm not insecure enough to attack him anymore, if anything I'd laugh in his face if he tried that shit again...But I still hate him for thinking that was okay and that you let him get away with it for so long." Jasper said him with some amount of venom in his words as he looked around. Things were the same but different. We'd moved past Edward and I's issues.

"Think we can go back anytime soon?" I asked softly. I was trying to keep my hope down. I'd agreed to leave with him until he felt the same level of security he'd had since we'd met with me. It'd even held around Maria though he did admit to a kiss when he thought I was dead, I understood it though and had pretty much let it go. Nowadays I didn't want to push him, I agreed to this and I was going to see it through till the end.

"I knew you'd ask that." He sighed into my hair as he kissed my crown then pulled away to look at me.

"Look, babe. We've made some _great_ strides. We have. You've fulfilled every bit of your promise. But can I just be selfish and have another year with you?" He asked with a huff. I giggled at that and nodded.

"I'd agree to another year. Anniversary is next year anyways, but!" I finished quickly and held up a finger as I went serious for a second. He watched me with some anticipation as I thought about how to phrase it.

"We're not staying in Colombia. This place is heading down hill and I don't want to get into another argument when I rush to help someone and you get mad." I frowned and waited for his answer.

"Sounds good. Any place in particular you'd like?" He nodded with a grin forming. It lit up his face and made me happy in return.

"Texas." I said and waited for his reaction. I wasn't sure how he'd take it.

"What? Why Texas? Do you know how sunny that place is?" He asked incredulously.

"Yup. I want to dig around in your past, to be totally honest. You don't remember much about your home or your family and I want to know." I shrugged and waited for his reaction. He frowned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, he was stressed. I frowned at that.

"If it makes you happy, fine." He sighed.

"Yay!" I grinned and clapped my hands together in anticipation as I got more excited.

"You're silly sometimes, doll." He shook his head at me, smiling at my actions. I merely shrugged, it kept me happy anyways.


	18. Chapter 18

"It's some where...over here." Jasper motioned to a map he'd used in the army. I looked down at a smaller area near the center of Texas there then switched to a more modern map, trying to align them. The human's had added computers into their public libraries which made researching much easier than it had been in the past.

We'd been here for more than six months now, searching and grasping at strands between cloudy days in Houston. I knew his mother had originally had 6 children. Three were stillbirths and the other two died of small pox leaving Jasper as the only surviving child which apparently made their town's newspaper. He didn't seem to be able to remember any of them, he'd been the middle child until the youngest and oldest succumbed to small pox. It was a small town paper, it didn't tell you which child was which. One was just expected to know whether Joseph was the youngest or if Arabella had been and sadly we only knew that Jazzy was the middle from a fuzzy memory.

"Thats a huge area. Its probably been built over by now." I sighed as I collapsed into the library chair, putting my head in my hands. This had been my idea and Jasper's memory wasn't entirely cooperative. Not only that but we were tracking second generation settlers from over a hundred years ago, really only Jasper's ranking made more than one paper and that was due purely to his young age.

"Sorry, Cat. May just have to forget about it." He shrugged. I looked up into his red eyes and frowned with some annoyance at having to let go of my quest. He'd continued the human blood diet while I'd let go of it for the most part. I kept getting hit over the head with memories of the group. I didn't really regret the fact I'd helped kill them from how many others they'd killed but it felt hypocritical of me as a doctor. My eyes were slowly passing over to gold again these days which made me feel a little better.

"But, we're already all the way out here." I sighed as I propped my head up on one arm. I knew this didn't bother him as much as it did me, he'd let go while me being my usual self, had trouble.

"Well we're not finding a thing about my momma except her name was Susan Whitlock and the number of losses she'd suffered. Forget the house, it was a shack, babe. Probably a parking lot by now." He countered.

"Asshat." I narrowed my eyes with some annoyance at how realistic the statements were. He rolled his eyes at the halfhearted insult and shrugged.

"You know its true. Plus, your articles were more interesting. Guess I have you to thank for helping out my smallpox." He declared and crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair as he grinned at me.

"It wasn't even my cure, the natives were using it for ages." I reminded and rolled my eyes at that. I mirrored his actions eliciting a squeak out of the chair's backing. I looked behind Jasper at the librarian shuffling towards him then switched back to my husband and the librarian again when she seemed to be making a beeline for us. He noticed me looking back and forth behind him and turned his head to see her.

"Hi there! Um, well the library's closing in 10 minutes. Do you need to check those out?" She was friendly at first until Jasper's head turned, revealing the eyes that tended to unnerve the humans. She looked nervously at him then maintained eye contact with me.

"We're fine." I shook my head as I watched her nod quickly and turn to go back to her desk. I stood and cleaned up the maps and books while Jasper rolled his personal map. It was interesting to see his notes on the page itself, there were things ranging from cavalry regulations to tactics he'd used or explained. I took his arm as we left the library, walking down one of Houston's main streets.

"Thats pretty." I motioned to a crafts store's window filled with beads, seeds, and large posters with palms on them?

"Which part? The big ass hand or the glass beads?" Jasper asked sarcastically.

"The beads." I rolled my eyes and motioned to the strings of beads incredulously.

"Really? Thought a blanket with a hand on it was right up your alley, Cat." Jasper responded cheekily as he pulled me across the street and into the shop.

"Woah." I whisper lowly as I looked at the store's insides. Jasper nodded at that while the humans couldn't hear me. It's walls were covered with pictures of fairies, ghosts, stereotypical vampires, werewolves, and these odd little five point stars.

"Merry meet." I turned as this blonde woman came around the counter, her hair seemed to be matted and spray to give it volume with a few sapphire coloured feathers stuck up, while her jacket's material squeaked as she walked. She had raised one of her hands and folded her thumb over her middle finger and ring finger while extending her pointer and pinky towards us. It seemed to have formed a crescent...or a pair of horns?

"Merry meet." Jasper and I looked at each other as we merely repeated the phrase to her. The Beatles song playing overhead seemed to get louder as the silence ensued and she merely smiled at us with her hands folded. The blue feathers stuck in the back of her hair bent slightly as the AC blew on them.

"You know, this is going to sound totally weird but you look like one of my granddaddy's old war comrades." She said oddly as she tilted her head looking at Jasper, the texan accent came through quite strongly. I wasn't sure how she knew exactly who her grandfather fought with but I had a sinking feeling Jazz was definitely one of his buddies.

"You spend a lot of time with your grandfather?" Jasper questioned neutrally, like he was just curious. She nodded. I had to remind myself that humans didn't really believe in the idea of people living as long as us, never aging.

"I do. He loves talking about this guy too, brings out the old pictures and all." She laughed as she said it. We gave a polite chuckle as I squeezed his forearm and he put his hand over mine to tell me to relax. Well! Guess that explained how she knew then.

"What's his name?" Jasper tilted his head as he took in her features.

"Oh his full name was Joseph Anderson but everyone calls him Joe." She explained with a smile.

"I think you're thinking of my grand father, Jasper Whitlock." I bit my lip as I watched Jasper give her a robotic nod. _Holy crap,_ he was stupid enough to enlist with his actual name then?

"Thats it! Wow. What a small world, huh?" She snapped her fingers as she grinned. We nodded awkwardly as I looked around the shop for something to discuss. This was definitely not a crafts store. There was a wall of seed packets then various multicolored stones and crystals then just books, some titles read out "History of the Occult" or "Rune Reading".

"Yeah. Hes actually named after 'im." I said with a higher pitched voice than I meant, my accent flew through at the end. I might have been a little nervous.

"Great, another Jasper Whitlock." She laughed as I gave a short chuckle. I was panicking now, the thought process bit wasn't calming myself down. They had videos and films now that could prove our existence with one slip up. We'd be pulled apart and burned. The stakes were a lot higher when you couldn't call one human a lunatic for having seen us move faster than their eyes could keep up with or a thirst for blood.

"Well we've got to get going. Great meeting you Ms..." Jasper trailed off as he looked at her.

"Lillie Anderson." She replied with a small smile as she flashed us the same symbol as before.

"Wonderful, this is my wife, Catharin." I gave a short wave as he named me.

"Oh how funny. Its like your grandfather's story finally came true." She tilted her head as she took in my features.

"I'm sorry?" I raised a brow as I looked back at Jasper, confused.

"Oh well mine kept saying that this guy was forever talking about this woman named Catharin that'd died. He said the name stuck because it sounded so gosh darn weird. I think it's pretty though. You look like a Catharin." She answered before Jasper did, friendly and open. She thought she was amongst friends while he merely nodded with a small smile plastered on his face.

It occurred to me that somehow I'd made that large of an impression on the man that it'd stuck with him until he'd found me again. Apparently he wasn't even going to stay in my town long, just wanted to wait out the weather for a bit until nightfall hit. I had to admit I was rather happy that on a whim he decided to take a seat in my booths.

"Ah. Yes he did. We'll see you around then, Miss Anderson." Jasper cut the conversation short as he nodded his head to her. I gave her a pleasant smile to try and dissolve his possible rudeness.

"Blessed be!" She smiled and waved as she said her odd goodbye. I didn't know if we were supposed to respond with the same thing or what...But apparently I didn't have to worry as Jasper herded me out of the shop.

"Guess we kinda uncovered a bit of your past." I shrugged when we were a few blocks away from the odd shop.

"I remember her grandfather now. Man was solid. Always had your back." Jasper nodded at the memory as he smiled looking out at the paved road in-front of us. I squeezed his arm as we walked down the empty road back towards our home.

This one was on out the outskirts of Houston in a gated community that was New England themed. Ours stood out due to it being made of a dark red brick and oak beams instead of a grey clapboard and stone, which honestly I loved. It's inside's were darker from the lack of windows on the bottom but I loved it none the less. It was better for us, I'd rather the neighbours gossiped then saw us glitter. However it was pricey for us to live here.

Jasper had been pushing harder in his investments, trying to keep up with the new oncoming era of electronics. He'd work on new designs for slimmer cell phone when I told him it should have just simply been ditched entirely. I wasn't all that fond of the age of information we seemed to be coming into in 1985 and had a feeling it was only going to get worse.

Man loved the electronics, however, to a point. He enjoyed the coding aspect for its logic capabilities. I'd see him in the office with pages of code being pumped out, he'd look at it for a second, shake his head and write something down. I believe it was Ada something, when I asked what it did he said that it basically protected the other bits from getting out of control for any human.

Days passed us through and before I knew it, October 15th was coming up again. People were decorating their homes and storefronts with these odd orange and black cob-webs and ghost cutouts. Jasper informed me that this was what many called Halloween was coming up. We'd never really dealt with it outside of people coming up and saying " _spooky"_ when they took in Jasper's appearance or pinning a ghost onto my lab coat.

"And you think that these green cob webs are extra scary because...?" Jasper asked from behind me as he held the ladder steady. I didn't know why he was holding it, I was just putting them in the corners. Plus I mean I had the reflexes of a feline and a body stronger than this house. But...despite my strengths, I was a little glad we were back in the US. There was no way in hell we could have done this in Colombia without being in some kind of danger.

"Well big fact number one, they're _green_ and big fact number two, its because they _glow in the dark!_ " I spoke with enthusiasm as I looked back at Jasper, clapping my hands together. He snorted and shrugged, I don't think he cared much.

"Next is pumpkins! Then we get to work on the costumes." I declared as he picked me up off the ladder, bridal style, and sat me on the ground. As soon as my toes touched the floor, I dashed off to go inside and pull out my sewing machine. I was going to be a countess and Jasper would be Dracula, I hadn't told him the ideas yet but I had a feeling he'd laugh it off pretty well at the Halloween parties we'd been invited to around the neighborhood.

A few days later, it was October 14th and I still had all of zero clue as to what I'd give him for the anniversary, when you had one every five years you kinda had to go all out. I was laying on the bedroom floor staring out the windows at the sunny day outside. I couldn't buy anything it seemed.

Could I make something? I hadn't sewn anything since I'd been changed...Maybe metal. Thats it! I got up and put on a jacket, waiting for the sun to go down so I could run for a shop before they all closed. Around an hour or two later I had one foot out the door when Jasper caught the back of my pants.

"Where're you speedin' off too?" He asked softly as he put his head on my shoulder.

"Away." I tried to wiggle away, it was like I could feel the time slipping out of my hands as he moved to be in front of me.

"That so?" He snorted as he leaned in the doorway, facing me and crossing his arms. I rolled my eyes and tried to push past him. I wasn't having any luck, man was stack of bricks.

"Now where do think you're goin', Missy?" He caught me and rolled me around to were my back was on his front and his arms locked me in. He sounded jovial, he was having fun. All _I_ could see was that time was slipping by.

"Ohmygodtimeisslippingaway!" I said quickly as I ducked out from under his arms and dashed at a human speed across the lawn. I slipped half way through as I tried to round the corner and landed on my hip. I wasn't a graceful vampire in the least, though I had my moments.

"Shut up!" I hissed as I heard Jasper's laughter travel out to the side of the house. I stood and picked off the leaves and grass bits as the wet stains stuck around on my leggings. I continued to a slow humanly speed walk as I got to town, I don't know why I hadn't taken the car but I was in a rush. I dashed into the craft-not craft store and started looking through all the knick-knacks and such that I felt like the man would enjoy.

"Looking for a gift?" I looked over my shoulder at the Anderson girl from a month or two ago.

"Is it that obvious?" I grinned demurely as I turned to face her.

"Sort of. Is it for the mister?" She grinned back full blast, she was excited for my answer. I nodded slowly as she clapped her hands together and went behind the counter to pull out a velvet board of little metal bits and bobs.

"This is our more private collection of historical items. He striked me as the kind of guy to like this stuff." She motioned to the rows as I took a closer look. There were set of flying eagle pennies from 1856, the year we'd met. I pulled the two out and decided to purchase them.

Next came a frame shop, I sat and waited for nearly an hour as they cut a unique dark wood frame engraved with bits of ivy, locks, and roses. I'd made sure to ask for two slits for the pennies themselves to sit in. It was close to 10 at night by the time I ran back home at a human pace, avoiding the wet grass trap from before and set to sliding the actual picture in.

I'd chosen one of our first pictures, we weren't looking at the camera. Rather Rose was rolling her eyes behind me while I was looking at Jasper. His eyes reflected back affection, lust, wonder, curiousity and most of all, a look that made my toes curl with delight. He'd been reaching towards my lips with two fingers as he stared at me. It was the first time I'd really worn lipstick. Nowadays, I wiped on the stick of colour when I felt like tempting Jasper.

When I handed the completed project, his eyes turned misty as he traced the frame and picked up each penny with a smile. I watched with anticipation as he looked back up with a large grin and hugged me too him with gratification. I was happy it'd made him happy.

He handed me my own gift with a poorly concealed look of anxiety. It was a cloth bracelet with three bits of metal hanging off of it, one contained the Cullen crest, the next was our official wedding date, and finally it was Edward's charm. He'd finally truly forgiven me and the thought made me happier than anything else in a long time.

* * *

When Jasper and I arrived in Alaska for the new years and Christmas, I realized that the decor was much more...extravagant than it had been in past Christmases. I paused a second to take in the holly wreaths, icicles, snowflakes, and other assorted decorations on the outside of what had been an extremely modern and minimalist house. The Denali clan was already inside, I could smell them. Jasper's grip tightened ever so slightly as he tried to pull me along over the snow.

"Whats wrong?" I asked softly, looking at the blonde sisters through the windows.

"The new girl. Allison?" I could see him look back at me from the corner of my eye as I raised a brow.

"Alice. It'll be fine, Jazz. " I corrected softly, trying to place who she'd be inside. I comforted him by looping my elbow around his. We had only taken a backpack full of things, really just clothes and photographs. Our house and apartment sat empty and checked on by neighbors. We walked up to the door as Jasper was poised to knock, it opened quickly.

"You took your time." A little short black haired female looked back at us with a grin.

"I suppose we did." I replied carefully. I felt Jasper's muscles contract as I attempted to soothe him by squeezing his arm softly. I felt like he'd be forever tense around new people.


	19. Chapter 19

When Jasper and I arrived in Alaska for the new years and Christmas, I realized that the decor was much more...extravagant than it had been in past Christmases. I paused a second to take in the holly wreaths, icicles, snowflakes, and other assorted decorations on the outside of what had been an extremely modern and minimalist house. The Denali clan was already inside, I could smell them. Jasper's grip tightened ever so slightly as he tried to pull me along over the snow.

"Whats wrong?" I asked softly, looking at the blonde sisters through the windows.

"The new girl. Allison?" I could see him look back at me from the corner of my eye as I raised a brow.

"Alice. It'll be fine, Jazz. " I corrected softly, trying to place who she'd be inside. I comforted him by looping my elbow around his. We had only taken a backpack full of things, really just clothes and photographs. Our house and apartment sat empty and checked on by neighbors. We walked up to the door as Jasper was poised to knock, it opened quickly.

"You took your time." A little short black haired female looked back at us with a grin.

"I suppose we did." I replied carefully. I felt Jasper's muscles contract as I attempted to soothe him by squeezing his arm softly. I felt like he'd be forever tense around new people. Esme's and Rose's head popped around the door, both were in formal wear as Alice took a step back. At least I suspected her to be Alice. She was the only face I didn't recognize.

"Welcome home, sweetheart." Esme hugged Jasper and I simultaneously as I heard Rose shout out "Its about time! Your last letter hasn't even gotten here!", with some annoyance.

"Heard you two dipped into human. Looks like Alice was right." Emmett grinned as Jasper did his usual grip and grin as he waited for me to be free again to take his arm.

"Maybe." I commented evenly, smiling softly at the big burly guy.

"Thought that went against your oath Ms PhD." His grin turned toothy at that point, laughing at his own joke. I jsut stuck my tongue out at him and wrapped my arm around Jasper's again. Emmett had a tendency to relax Jasper, though I wasn't sure how it worked, I was just glad it did work. Eventually the flurry of action subsided as Jasper and I gravitated towards our usual place along the back wall.

"You guys have seriously stepped up the decorations this year." I commented. I felt out of place in my sweater and leggings and I realized I hadn't seen Edward yet. Everyone else was dressed up again.

"Oh I just love the parties! The decorations, the music, the banners, you name it." Alice chirped with enthusiasm. I was a little taken aback by her complete cheer for the world. Vampires usually came on the more depressing, melancholic side.

"You decorated this year?" I checked as I looked over as Esme who nodded, proudly. I didn't hear a response as I looked back at Alice to see her staring blankly into the space in-front of her on the stairs. I got a little worried as she continued to stare then grinned back up at me.

"Sorry, its a vision thing. Anyways, yeah I decorated! Esme choose the theme though." She clapped her hands together and grinned back at me as I nodded slowly. I didn't know really of what to say.

"Esme...wheres Edward?" I asked softly after an hour had gone by and Kate wandered over and wandered back to Tanya.

"Hes upstairs." She gave me a small frown as she pointed to the floor above us. I felt Jasper's grip tighten and elected to not test the fates until he'd gotten used to Alice. Christmas passed in a blur, Alice proved to be...exhausting. I found myself declining her offers more and more as years went by. However she'd sort of grown on me, little by little. She was a ball of energy.

* * *

"...And he though the best place for you two to bond again was a _civil war?_ " Rose asked incredulously as we sat in the living room. We'd been distant since Jasper and I got back but she was still the only sister I had that I'd allow to dress me. Though Alice was closer to my physique and height, she had the energy I lost long ago and it was scary to let the little vampire do whatever she wanted to you.

"Yup!" I snorted as I stared back at her. I heard the stairs creek and paused. Edward had a routine going since Jasper and I were back of him staying in his room for ages unless we left the house for whatever reason. It was getting a little ridiculous after the third year of it. I was hoping that today would be the day he'd stop sulking.

"Edward, just man up and talk to her." I looked back at Rose as she rolled her eyes and stood. She decided that dragging him over to the couch by his neck was the best course of action to get him to do this.

I stared up with some pity as he glared back down at me, we were silent. She rolled her eyes again and dropped him onto his feet, leaving the room to go outside. A minute or two passed in awkward silence as I listened to the silence of the house. Everyone was out apparently.

Even Jasper was out with Alice, she'd insisted on getting him new clothes and I refused to go. It was a good bonding experience for them. Mostly I was just glad that Alice was a lesbian. At first I was a little protective over my husband and her being alone but Rose assured me she wasn't interested.

"I'm sorry, Edward." I murmured under my breath looking away to where the piano had once been. According to Rose he'd trashed it after Jasper and I left.

"You never answered any of my letters." His words were sharp like broken glass cutting into my chest. I looked back at him, his eyes were just as sharp.

"You're right." I admitted.

"Why? Why couldn't you just answer _one_?" He asked heatedly, the aggression was still there behind his words.

"You know why." I frowned, standing. _I've had enough of this._

 _"_ Well I still want answers. Nearly five years and no answer. You only answered Esme. Was I just not good enough? Not worth the time?" He hissed, crossing his arms and looking away from me to the empty other half of the room.

"Edward..." I pleaded as he shook his head and held up a hand. I took a step closer and stopped myself from reaching towards him, I felt absolutely awful. There were rounds of guilt hitting me every time my shoes echoed against the floor.

"Enough, Catharin. I don't want to hear your apologies." He glared at me with ferocity now. I took a half step back as he came forward abruptly.

"They're all lies anyways." He got near my face this time, almost spitting with each word. I bit my lip as the sadness hit me. I didn't like these feelings. It felt like everything was my fault and I'd lost all of Edward's trust.

"Is there a problem here?" I jumped at the heavy Texan accent behind me. An arm wrapped itself around my shoulders, tugging me away slowly.

"I don't think so. Just got a little heated!" Alice chirped, smiling with her hands folded next to Edward. I hadn't even heard him or Alice come through. When he was angry or stressed, the Texan in him came out more prominently.

"Right." I nodded, putting my hand around Jasper's arm. Apparently Edward still threw him off nearly entirely. So I guess the wounds hadn't healed up entirely. I looked back right as he kissed my forehead, keeping one hand wrapped around my shoulders and one in his jean pocket.

"Oh! I almost forgot, Catharin, Jasper picked out some clothes for you!" She spoke quickly, excited. I froze as her words registered and stared up at Jasper with a deer in the headlights look. He rolled his eyes back at my expression and let go of me, gently pushing me towards Alice. She spoke animatedly as she pulled me up the stairs towards her room. It seemed Esme had the room added on specially for Alice, it sounded like something the woman would have done easily.

"Oh no." I took one look at the neon tutu and grimaced. This was revenge for leaving him to go shopping with her, I knew it was.

"Its not that bad." She commented warily, as I looked up at the girl and raised a brow.

"Rose! Come see!" I called out, cupping my hands around my mouth. A little while later there was a knock on the door, then it opened to reveal my blonde sister of sorts. She stared at the tutu for a second before looking at us.

"ESME! YOU'RE NOT GONNA WANNA MISS THIS." We all stared at each other for a few seconds before she turned and cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled.

"I'm not deaf, young lady." Esme came through the open door a second later, shaking her head.

"Oh my goodness." She stared at the piece of clothing like it was the most backwards decorating she'd ever seen in her life as she put a hand over her mouth as she started snickering. Rose went next, full out laughing. I followed shortly after, leaning on her shoulder as I giggled.

"Aw come on guys. He thought really hard." Alice frowned, defending my husband's choices.

"Y-yeah. On what was the worse thing for her." Rose breath out, holding her gut. Esme nodded.

"Yeah thats revenge right there." I added as I gasped and wiped away moisture.

"No! He said he thought it would look best on you!" Alice narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"I know my husband. Jazz! Come here." I waved her complaints away and called out for said husband.

"What? You don't like it?" He appeared at the door with a shit eating grin ear to ear.

"That was mean." I rolled my eyes as he scooped my legs up into a bridal style carry.

"So you literally just did it to annoy her?" Alice asked confusedly as she looked between us.

"Kinda. I like seeing those eyes roll." Jasper looked back from her to me again as he grinned down at me. Rose and Esme vacated the room, Esme awed while Rose just snorted and left. His eyes had slowly began the turn over from red to gold when we came back, now they were a bright corn coloured yellow.

"All those hours for a joke." Alice sighed as she put her hands on her hips looking at the skirt and shaking her head.

"Sorry, Als." Jasper shrugged as he held me still.

"Just go make out or something while I mourn the loss of a shopping buddy." She rolled her eyes and dismissed us. Jasper's grin turned wolfish as he moved us across the hall to the bedroom. We'd slowly gotten over the whole banging next door to your friends with Peter and Char but it was always a little weird now that we had a mind reader. Sometimes privacy was only an illusion.


	20. Chapter 20

Rosalie, Alice and I had decided to take a 'girls trip' to California in the fall of 1991, it was probably one of the first we'd ever taken. It was mostly to have Rose and I get used to Alice, somehow we didn't click with her as well so Esme planned the trip. I think it was possibly to do with the fact that she seemed to run on nonstop energy and cheer.

I was leery of leaving Jasper for the week and very much so of the weather but Alice kept saying that it was going to be fine. Currently, I hadn't actually seen the clouds move whatsoever so I guess she was right...as usual. Maybe it wasn't the energy, maybe it was the future seeing thing. She knew everything you were about to do and everything you could do. I felt the car drift ever so slightly and looked up from the book I'd been scanning as I thought.

"Alice?" I looked back at her, her hands were still gripping the wheel but her eyes said she was somewhere else? I looked back at Rose with wide eyes as we started to drift slowly to the side. She raised a brow and leaned forward, waving her hand in front of Alice.

"Alice!" I felt my voice hike up just an octave as we hit dirt and grass, the car was going to tip at this point.

"TAKE THE WHEEL!" Rose yelled hotly motioning to the steering wheel itself that was just out of her reach. I reacted a little slow for a vampire as I wrapped my fingers around it and tried to pull us back on the road. The sounds of angry shouting and horns blowing matched the sound of our tires skidding across the pavement.

"THE OTHER WAY, CAT! OTHER WAY! HAVE YOU NEVER DRIVEN BEFORE?" Rose jerked her hand to the other side of the way I was pulling the steering wheel.

"NO. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN A CAR IN DECADES, ROSE! THEY WORKED DIFFERENTLY BACK THEN!" I screeched back at her as I tried to jerk it the other way around. I think I pulled too hard because part of it cracked and splintered off.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked innocently as I swiveled back to look at her.

"THEN JUST PULL OVER AND STOP THE DAMN CAR, YOU'RE GOING TO KILL SOMEONE !" Rose yelled from the back as I just glowered at the little vampire. She frowned at the sight of the wheel crumbling under my grip as we all shifted with the force of the brakes short stopping us. I let go of the wheel and collapsed into my chair, taking in deep breaths as my nerves calmed down.

"What the hell, Alice?" Rose asked exasperatedly as I closed my eyes and counted to 10 slowly.

"Sorry, I've been figuring out how off the visions and they all just kinda hit me at once there." She apologized. Honestly I was just glad that we hadn't killed anyone and that Esme couldn't come with us. If it wasn't for the contractor coming around, she would have totally come and she would have totally freaked the hell out

"What the fuck did you see then?" Rose was annoyed if anything.

"A baby. Actually two babies, twins." Alice confessed.

"You...almost killed a whole family of humans and almost hurt my Porsche Ruf 911 CTR because you searched for visions of a _baby_?" She hissed incredulously.

"I wasn't _searching_ for it. The only things I've searched for in the last day was the weather if we went out and if we'd have any accidents. So sorry my mystery visions inconvenienced you and your _car_ , Rosalie. " Alice bit back.

"OH. MY. GOD. THIS IS AN EXP-" Rose was angry sounding now as I opened my eyes and swiveled between them, holding up a hand.

"Hey! No fighting. Alice, you sit in the back. Rose, you get to drive the rest of the way. I'm not dealing with this shit right now." I raised a brow as Alice frowned and opened her mouth then closed it with one look at me.

"Fine." They both chorused sullenly as they switched spots. I'm sure we were quite the sight playing musical chairs on the side of the highway between Alaska and California. We got back on the road rather quickly but the ride was silent and awkward as hell until my leg started to vibrate. I looked down confused at my blue jean over alls as they shook and reached my hand slowly into the pocket.

"Oh yeah." I mumbled to myself as I took in the little black box of a flip phone. Jasper made me take one for the group in case we ran into any trouble. I tried my very best to gently flip over the lid to hit the green answer button. I put it up to my ear and waited to see if there was any noise.

"Cat, you okay?" Jasper's voice came through, making me jump ever so slightly. I'd gotten used to cars but the boxes with voices coming out of them still confused me. It took me a while to adjust sometimes.

"Yeah. Why?" I asked curiously as I put the phone a little closer to my ear. I could hear staticey sounds as I waited.

"Emotion spike. I think the distance slowed it down a little bit though." Jasper answered sounding a little relieved as I formed an O with my mouth. It was nice to hear his voice and I was pretty distracted by it.

"Right. Well we're all okay." I answered cheerily as I stared forward at the car in front of us. The static sounds took back over as we both went silent.

"What are you girls up too?" He asked softly, this time a little distracted. I shrugged, still quiet.

"Oh! Well...uh. We're driving still. What about you?" I replied warily as I remembered that he couldn't see me.

"Of course y'all are. I'm working on something." Jasper replied loftily.

"Are you now?" I raised a brow at the empty space in front of me.

"You'll see when you're back, missy." He sounded like he was smiling as I sighed.

"Fineee." I rolled my eyes and looked back out the window as the terrain passed us by. We said our goodbyes as he went to go grab something from Emmett. He sounded annoyed with the guy and knowing Emmett, he'd broken something on purpose.

The hotel was pleasant enough and the concierge was more than happy to find someone to help us take our bags and all that jazz. We ended up seeing the famous bridge thing that Alice wanted to see, then we went to a club or two and found that while women were allowed, we were not welcome. That was after we found out that it was actually a gay club. Personally, I wanted to see Alcatraz Prison and we were going to on our last day here, which was tomorrow.

For some reason the place reeked of history and I loved it. I was much older than it but it still felt like it'd seen the world come and go like I had. Times were so much more different since I'd been human and really all I had left to my world was Jazzy.

I was lying on the bed talking to Jasper again about the hotel room this time while he then told me how the new house in Forks was coming along. Esme wanted something newer but also more conservative.

According to her research the town of Fork's population had grown and she felt that an odd house would draw more than necessary attention to ourselves. Personally, I felt like we were already far enough out that no one could even see the house without walking for a while and that it was more that Esme wanted to do a total gutting of the old house.

It had sat empty for nearly 40 years now. It would continue to sit empty for probably 10 or 15 more years since we'd go back to Forks around the 2000s or a little later. It definitely left us enough time for the humans to forget our faces.

"Alright, time to go. Get off the phone, Cat." Rose stood over me, looking down with a single pissy brow raised. I rolled my eyes and nodded. She got more and more bossy the longer she was away from Em.

"Bye Jazz." I sighed into the phone as I swung my legs over the side of the bed.

"Bye Doll." He replied affectionately as I tried to gently press the red button now to end the call like he'd told me.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I peeked out the window at the foggy weather that seemed to have rolled into the city of San Francisco.

"We're going to a museum!" Alice replied with a bright tone.

"Alright." I looked back at her from the window and shrugged. I walked past her and Rose and headed for the door, leaving it open behind me for them. We ended up taking a trolley I want to say it was called. I felt all the levels of awkwardness as Rose and I stared at each other desperately from across the seats, bars, and, sweating humans. There hadn't been enough space for her to be in Alice and I's half.

I grabbed Alice's hand and pulled her along with the crowd when it came to our stop and tried to motion to Rose but she'd disappeared into the sea of denim and plaid. Alice sort of followed, stumbling along behind me. It seemed she was having another vision since our chaotic drive here a few days ago.

"Alice?" I put my hands on her shoulders and turned my attention towards her once we got to the side walk. Alice kept blanking out every once in a while over the trip and it was beginning to get a little worrisome.

"Sorry. The parents are getting a divorce but I have names now." She smiled awkwardly at me. I raised a brow as I waited for the names.

"Isabella and Irenta. Irentas a pretty name, don't you think so?" She spoke with an unrestrained amount of awe leaving me to believe her intentions were bordering on romantic.

"Alice..." I tilted my head as she grinned goofily into the air.

"Whats going on?" Rose asked softly as she stood next to me. I looked back at her frowning and looked back at Alice.

"Alice...has found the names of the human babies shes been seeing." I said awkwardly, retracting my hands from her shoulders. The thought had me worried.

"And?" Rose asked snippy that I hadn't just come out and said it. She hadn't seen what I'd seen.

"Isabella and Irenta." Alice said the latter in a much less serious voice than the first.

"Uh...Okay. And how far away are these kids?" Rose asked sounding a little worried.

"Oh they're in Forks but I think that the mother is going to have custody if they divorce. So after that, I don't know. She hasn't decided yet but thats okay, I'd find her anyways." Alice shrugged with a small smile. I looked back at Rose with the same worried expression she had.

"Um...Alice. You do realize these are children right? Human _infants_." I stressed their ages to her.

"Well of course. I'm not about to go after them. God. I'm pretty sure one is my mate, not my damn _meal_." She frowned as she defended heatedly. I nodded slowly and took a step back mentally to try and process this in a non-judge mental way. Abruptly Rose grabbed her hand and pulled her around the corner into a more inconspicuous looking alleyway.

"Rose!" I gaped as I followed them trying to not go too fast for the humans. I put my hand out towards them like it'd somehow slow them down or grab their attention.

"Mary Alice Brandon Cullen, you are _not_ marking a one year old so help me." Rose took a more forward method, gripping the little vampire by the shoulders with some level of ferocity.

"I would never hurt her like that! Shes a **child** , Rosalie! " Alice snarled as she ripped her shoulders out of Rose's grasp, hissing aggressively. I stood shocked as Rose hissed back slightly but inching back little by little. I'd never seen the pixie act aggressive whatsoever. I was absolutely speechless. I snapped out of it as I heard a girl whisper to her mother about us.

"Okay! Thats quite enough!" I put both of my hands up as I stepped in between them, trying to diffuse the situation.

"She was accusing me of thinking about hurting what could be my _mate_." Alice scoffed exasperated.

"I had to make sure!" Rose defended as she stood out of the defensive stance and crossed her arms demurely.

"How do you even know shes your mate, Alice? Shes a one year old baby girl." I sighed as I squeezed the bridge of my nose.

"I...don't for sure. But! I have been looking for them and it would make sense since I started looking and kept getting the twins." Alice shrugged awkwardly, looking down at her hands.

"Then lets wait a little while, yeah? Give them some time to grow up at least?" I wagered looking for the two to come to some kind of conclusion peacefully. Rose sighed and nodded as did Alice.

"Now for a museum then!" I said with forced joy as I grabbed Rose and Alice's arms to drag them back towards the building. Hopefully this would ease the tension and help us all get around to actually liking each other.


	21. Chapter 21

"Oh it was fine past the whole Alice almost killing us thing. Lots of bonding." I replied pleasantly as I watched Esme pace in her hobby room, searching for special pair of scissors. I think she'd been getting restless in Alaska. Wanted to move again soon. Or at least I figured that was why she was remodeling the house in Forks and being so snippy lately.

"Well she can't really help that, Catharin." She glared at me as I pursed my lips awkwardly and nodded. _Snippy_.

"Right. Well. I'm going to go find Jasper." I nodded again, quickly exiting the room to find him in the living room downstairs. He didn't say anything, still reading, as he raised his arm off the couch. I took it as my queue to slide in next to him.

So I did and folded my feet under my thighs, making sure to bump into Emmett's shoulders to mess with him. He retaliated by flicking me. I flicked him back and initiated a war of sorts apparently. He flicked back, harder. I did the same, flicking his ear this time. He turned, glaring.

"What?" I raised a brow, trying to look innocent. _Dukes of_ _Hazard_ reruns were on. I knew it was his favourite. He waited a second before full out punching my exposed shin. I yelped at the sudden pain. He looked smug at my reaction for a second before Jasper kicked him in the shoulder.

"Hey! She started it." He exclaimed, rubbing his shoulder and motioning to me with a jerk of his head.

"And I just ended it." Jasper shrugged as he leaned closer and kissed my exposed neck.

"Then why didn't she get kicked?" He pointed towards me as I shrugged.

"She got stuck with me for an eternity." Jasper replied casually with a hint of pride as he flipped a page of his book.

"Well thats _definitely_ punishment. Wicked sex for the rest of her life. What a _shame_." Emmett rolled his eyes as he huffed and let go of his shoulder. I snorted as I laid my head on Jasper's chest and watched the TV from under his arm. Sometimes it was a total win to have a scary, over-protective guy as your husband.

"OH." I jumped up after a few hours of the show to remember why I was coming to find him in the first place. Jasper raised a brow at my sudden motions while Emmett watched me suspiciously.

"You had a surprise to show me." I explained with a smile. Jasper started to grin as he nodded.

"Oh dude, you haven't shown her already?" Emmett's suspicion turned to amusement as I started to feel a little miffed.

"Nah. I wanted to finish her all up before I showed her." Jasper motioned with his book towards me on the second her. I narrowed my eyes at the first her, however.

"Her?" I raised both brows as I crossed my arms over my chest. Emmett started snickering as he stood and started going towards the side door to the garage. Jasper just put his hands over my eyes as he guided me towards the same way. Or at least I think it was the same way.

"Okay, now look." Jasper's twang came out. He was grinning, I could hear it in his voice as I opened my eyes to take in a...silver motorcycle. Actually it was barely a motorcycle, it was a sport's bike. Rose stopped her work, coming over to wrap an arm around Emmett's as she took it in. Jasper was still holding the blanket as he grinned, ear to ear.

"What...what is that?" I pointed a finger at it as I took a few steps closer.

"Its my Ducati, babe." He stated like it was obvious. I raised a brow.

"That is barely a bike, Jasper." Rose commented from the side as I nodded slowly.

"Can it even go past 50 miles per hour?" I asked warily. The black pick up truck was gone at least, I kinda hated the thing. Always so big and clunky.

"Of course it can. Em and I have been messing around, took off the lock." Jasper scoffed, putting his hands on his hips like he was flabbergasted I'd ever question his actions.

"Then it's great, Jazzy." I nodded slowly and wrapped my hands around his waist, kissing him on the nose. He rolled his eyes at my actions but reciprocated by wrapping his arms around my back, nonetheless.

"Suck up." Rose snorted as she took in our stance. I stuck my tongue out at her, rolling my eyes, Jasper sighed as he kissed my forehead and pulled away to slide the blanket back over the bike.

"You'll appreciate the bike more when it becomes a classic." He shook his head, almost stroking the machine. I shrugged.

"Oh trust me, I appreciate it now. Hell, I'm just happy the truck is gone." I crossed my arms over my chest as I leaned on the other side of Emmett.

"Oh yeah. That hunk of junk, went down the road groaning and crying out to be shot." I looked around Emmett at Rose as she shook her head at the memory.

"What?" I asked when I looked back as Jasper's mouth hung open in disbelief.

"We got that truck when we got married, it was a living memory!" Jasper exclaimed as he stood up. I shook my head, no.

"Nuh-uh. You had the truck _before_ we got married." I corrected.

"Same difference." He rolled his eyes and took my hand, pulling me over towards it.

"I already saw the shiny new toy, babe." I smiled as Rose and Emmett disappeared up to their bedroom.

"Yeah but you haven't _ridden_ it." He grinned as he swung his leg over it and back it out of the open garage door. I followed slowly, inspecting the distance. I wonder if I'd have to jump or get a running start for this.

"Cat. Just put your foot there and swing your leg over." He commented and pointed to a flat piece of metal that stuck out of the side. Oh. He already thought of this. I nodded as I did just that and swung my jean covered leg over the back and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Ready?" He sounded giddy as he asked. I nodded into his back as he chuckled darkly and took his foot off the ground, gunning it.

* * *

"EVERYONE. I have an announcement." Esme practically skipped into the living room, pulling my attention from the violin I'd been plucking at.

Since piano seemed to be off the table, I went down to the library and music stores and got a violin. So far I'd just accomplished pissing everyone off with terrible screechy noises but Edward had started talking a little more...kinda. It was really just to tell me to shut up and that I was pulling at the wrong string. He'd move my fingers around and disappear into his void again.

"Ready?" She grinned, clapping her hands together. This was the happiest I'd seen Esme since she found out that Alice had found her mate, 4 years ago in '92. We all nodded, even Emmett had taken his attention away from the television.

"We're...MOVING! TO WISCONSIN!" She screamed with joy. We all stared at her for a few seconds before slowly nodding and clapping. It was probably about time. We'd lived here since the 70s and it was '96 now. Carlisle stopped working at the local hospital due to his lack of aging a few years ago and it seemed we were all steadily growing more and more restless in Alaska.

"No I mean right now. Go pack your crap." She pointed to the stairs with a grin larger than I'd seen in a while. I stood slowly, Jasper's arm wrapped around my waist as we trailed behind Alice, going up the stairs. I'd gotten a little closer to Alice as she got more and more excited about her mate slowly growing up. Rose was iffy about the whole human thing _and_ the child thing.

We got up to our room and slowly milled around. Jasper pointed at the old purple couch and I nodded. We were taking that. He sighed slowly, nodding back. He knew we'd have to take it. He went to the wall of pictures over the windows and pulled a few off, then going to the bookshelves, pulling books off of there. I laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling when the door busted open and Alice plopped down on the bed next to me, grinning.

"...Yes?" I raised my brows as I waited for her to tell me what happened with her mate now. She only grinned like this if A.) Irenta did something or B.) A new amazing clothing line came out.

"She's starting school tomorrow! Ira's growing up!" She shrieked with excitement like it was her own child going off to school as she shook my arm with excitement. I just smiled.

"Thats great, Alice." I nodded to her with small smile as Jasper nudged me over with a suitcase. She grinned and nodded, getting up and catapulting herself off the bed to go pack her clothes. I rolled over and stood, Jasper was already finished packing as I picked up my herbs and spice's in their little ceramic pots and carried them downstairs. Emmett passed by me on the stairs, probably to go take the couch apart with Jasper.

The trip down to Wisconsin was odd for all of us. Emmett's jeep had most of the actual objects we took but everyone else went in separate cars, some racing each other. I rode with Rose while Esme rode with Alice just in case she had another vision moment right in the middle of a turn or something. Rose of course wanted to race Alice after the comment about her car from the last road trip we all together in 1991.

After two days of just stopping for gas, we finally arrived in Ashland Wisconsin. Apparently this was where Carlisle and Esme had met in the 20s. I tried to remember what I was even doing in the 20s. I think I was in Oregon making home deliveries to patients out there, huh. Who knew that a few states over, I'd find my family. Oh wow. I was older than _Esme_. WHY WAS I SO OLD?

"Calm down. The Denali's are 9 times as old as you, Catharin." Edward commented as he went past me and up the front stairs.

"Yeah well I'm still older than you, string bean." I called out. I was sitting in the front yard, messing with flower patterns for Esme. I watched him pause for a second, turning around then shook his head and continued upstairs to his room. Damn. Almost got him to talk to me. A second later and I could hear Jazz droning out of his window.

"Can I help?" Alice came out of the corn fields near the house as I glared at the sunny patches of brown dirt.

"Sure. I'm probably going to do pink, white, pink, red, pink, white." I counted down the line of the plant's I had out in a line.

"Someone's on a pink kick." Jasper commented. Jazzy was sitting on the porch swing, glancing from page to page of some civil war journal.

"Suck it." I muttered glaring at him.

"I'd love too." He started to grin at the page he was on.

"Eugh." I rolled my eyes and ignored the comment as Alice let out a sound of disgust. We'd start school next week, they'd chosen Wisconsin specifically for a smaller town for a smaller school for us. We'd been out of contact of the world for a while now. Carlisle talked about me starting in a hospital at some point again but decided it might be best for me to test out the school setting first.

* * *

"Uh. What am I supposed to do with the plate of food now?" I asked, confused as Jasper sat back, snickering. We'd gotten through most of the first day with Jasper telling me how things worked as we went but I didn't understand the reason for the food. It looked incredibly unappetizing.

"Nothing, Catharin. Just push it around." Edward commented, looking back to me for a second before looking away again. We were still waiting on Alice, Rose, and Emmett.

"But why do we get it then?" I asked looking towards Edward.

"Because we need to blend in. We've already attracted attention by just existing in the school." Edward said with a snapish tone.

"You don't have to be so mean about it." I pursed my lips as I frowned down at the plate of cooked meat and other items.

"I'll see you in chemistry." I heard him sigh as he stood and dumped his tray of food on his way out literally right as the rest of our family came in.

"What'd you do this time, Cat?" Emmett asked with a grin as he sat down a plate of green leaves. I shrugged.

"She tried getting him to talk to her." Jasper spoke up as Alice sat down.

"Well there was your first mistake, trying to get the moodie Eddie to talk to you." Emmett commented. I frowned as I looked behind me for Rose and saw her talking to a boy around Edward's size.

"Oooh. Em. It looks like you've got some competition." I grinned as I heard him stand with a loud screeching noise from the chair. The table went silent as we watched him come around and take Rose's tray for her, putting an arm around her shoulders. He stood there for a second as the boy started to sweat and walked away quickly. Emmett ended up trailing behind Rose as she rolled her eyes and came over, Em looked victorious.

"Good grief." Alice commented offhandedly as I turned back around to see her shaking her head. She didn't really approve of the whole posturing thing that Emmett did. It was really just his competitive nature, Rose had the same issue at times.

"At least he doesn't just stand over her shoulder and glare at people like some people." I reminded as I motioned to Jasper with my head.

"That's true." Rose added as she sat down. I felt him lazily flick the back of my arm from the chair and grinned.

"I hope I don't smother Ira." Alice frowned as she poked at an apple slice on her plate. I shrugged.

"You probably won't. Its not really in your nature...sorta." I added on as the thought of Alice hissing in San Francisco popped into my head. The bell rang right as Emmett sat back down, I guess Rose was little late. Jasper walked me to the chemistry room as I grinned and practically skipped inside to plop down next to Edward.

"Hi!" I greeted happily. He grunted. This pattern continued for English, then the music class we apparently shared. Him grunting continued on for around a semester before he started to say hello back.

"Hi." I mumbled, under the weather today. Alice kept coming around every time Ira learned a letter or a number or how to spell her name.

"Hey." He greeted, looking out the window still. _Did I just get a hey? From_ the _Edward?_

"Don't push your luck." He glanced at me from the corner of his eye as he smiled the slightest bit. I smiled to myself as I faced the board and rested my head on my hand. Stuff was kinda changing. Slowly.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO.
> 
> Someone had an idea at 230 in the morning. This someone's idea was to manipulate the loveliness that is first person point of view and switch it to our local empath...
> 
> Really this may be the only time so let me know if its a good plan or to just never do it ever again. I felt like we were stuck seeing only Catharin's view and that Jasper lost some of his 3D value so I'm giving it all back by letting him run through his story view too.  
> Basically this chapter is all in Jasper's POV.

I waited for her at the bike till around 330. Als, Emmett and even Rose had come out of the building but Cat wasn't here still. I was getting worried now. I leaned on the bike, crossed my arms, uncrossed them, waited some more. Alice began frown at me.

"What?" I admit I snapped at the little lady but I was starting to panic. Why was she always late? I'd tuned out just about everyone else's emotions but Catharin's. She didn't seem scared per se. Just really freakin' worried. And anxious. When she got anxious, _I_ got anxious. Then I got angry with whatever made her anxious. Especially when it came to her and Edward which I had a feeling was who she was with right now.

"They're just talking." She sighed at my attitude. I was in a piss-poor mood by now as I looked at my watch. Emmett started to snicker when I stood up from the bike and stormed off right across the campus. I could hear the human's heart beats step up a notch when I passed by. Some were from lust while others from fear. I didn't really care at this point, usually I'd get a kick out of it but not now.

I knew the protective tendencies I had towards Cat annoyed her a lot of the time but I didn't really care. She meant too much to me and to this family to think she could just disappear whenever she wanted. She made everything different, bearable. This was an environment I could deal with and I'd do it happily if she was around. I enjoyed it. I'd never tell her but sometimes I got worried she'd see through all my cracks and leave me.

It was like when Maria came by when she and Edward were out in Anchorage. I didn't tell her or the family, I kept it on lock when I was around Edward. Nothing ever happened except me telling her to stay away but I didn't want Cat gettin' the idea that something did.

"Catharin, you know its four PM?" I addressed her, leaning on the door frame.

"Is it four already?" She took her hand off Edward's shoulder, looking at me with curious and surprised eyes. I watched Edward give me a passive aggressive glare as he went past me in the doorway. The annoyance spiked at the general sight of me while he kept the longing on a lower key.

"Mhm. Any luck with him?" I asked as I jerked my head back towards the retreating guy's back and extended my elbow towards her.

"Sorta. We...we were talking before you popped up." She sighed as she took it. I knew exactly why he wouldn't talk to her like he did before. He'd gotten burned when I came out on top and in some ways that gave me a major ego boost but in others I was just bitter with the younger vampire. It was honestly why Emmett and I got along so much better than Edward and Emmett. She felt nostalgic in a way but also resigned under the affections for me.

"I figured as much." I nodded to her as we went down the hallway and out to the parking lot. Emmett made eye contact with me as I gave him a short nod. Our family began to clear out of the lot now that we were all here and accounted for.

I cranked up the bike. It'd been something to take up my time when she was gone. She always gave a little run and jump to swing her leg over which amused me but also could be a problem when she wore a skirt. She liked those sometimes.

In the beginning of the semester, Emmett and I felt like bouncers. Idiots in jeans and pumping hormones would come up and ask if she was my sister, how old she was, what she liked. Crap like that that had Em and I laughing, especially when I said she was my wife. She and Rose never noticed a damn thing but we did. It kept us busy.

It was true she kept me from feeling the effects of decades of untrained blood lust fury but she did it in such a way that always left me reeling. I'd always get stuck around snugglin' up to her or asking if she wanted anything which most of the time she just wanted my attention. I was more than willing to give it to her.

It used to be that she spent all her time in the hospitals with Carlisle. That was really when I found my best friend in Emmett, Rose was busy with her cars. Upgrading, remodeling, and reselling them. We got into all kinds of shit. From prank wars around the house to ridiculous stunts in the front yard, high school life got boring for us real quick. But after Edward's little confident streak, she'd been out of a hospital for close to a decade now.

"Whats wrong?" I asked her after the third sigh. I don't think she really realised the vibes she was putting off or that she was sighing because she looked surprised that I'd asked.

"Bored." She pouted, playing with the corner of our bed-sheets. It was night and we were back home in our room. I was strumming the guitar and stopped when she kept on fidgetin'. I looked up at her as she rolled back over again, blonde hair flopping all over the place. I grinned as I got an idea and set the guitar down next to me, going towards the bed.

"Still bored?" I asked as I straddled her and pecked her gently on the lips. She pursed her lips as she tried to stop a smile from coming on. She was adorable sometimes, always smelled like mint for some reason. I think she'd used it a lot as a human and the scent stuck with her through the transformation. She wrapped an arm around the back of my neck as she leaned closer.

"Hiya!" A knock and a cheerful voice at the door interrupted us.

"Come in." I sighed, letting my forehead droop down to the crook in between her shoulder and neck as she called out.

I rolled off of her as Alice came in and plopped down on the bed to tell her about Irenta's latest event. It was kinda odd putting. The amount of pride, made me feel like she thought she was raising this kid. I knew sometimes Cat wished we had one but honestly I was glad we didn't. I'd have loved one but the idea of trying to keep up with two Catharin's made my brain hurt.

I made my way downstairs and pushed half of Em's feet off the other end of the couch so I could sit down. He let out an noise of complaint then rolled his eyes when I flipped him off.

"Alice got Cat busy again?" He asked curiously.

"Yup." I sighed as I picked up the remote and switched over to _The Munsters_.

"Cat loves this show." I commented when he groaned at the choice.

"Yeah and shes not _here_. Switch it back over to something actually good, man." He demanded with exasperation. I grinned as I actually did what he said for once. He was even a little bit surprised.

* * *

"Jazzy?" I peeked open an eye as I raised a brow at her from her lap. She had the littlest hands I'd ever seen until I met Alice, but I loved it when she ran them through my hair. Alice had tried once but I ran for the hills when she got a finger near me, I wasn't lettin' anyone but Cat touch my head. Peter said it was a trust thing when I talked to him about Cat and I in Colombia. I kinda agreed, it was half trust and half that she made me want to lay there forever just so she could keep massaging my head.

"Do you think this is what our lives are going to be like from now on? School, then home, then school again? Forever?" She was worried and a little on the bored side at the idea. We were on the front porch, she was sitting up on the swing while I just laid down and put my head in her lap.

"Is it really any different from working at a hospital then going home then hospital again?" I questioned.

"Yeah. Something new happened everyday. Is he going to live or is he going to bleed out? Its so high drama." She grinned as I rolled my eyes at her with her waving girly hand gestures.

"Well interesting things can happen in a school too, darlin'." A bit of her hair dusted my nose making me scrunch up from the sensation. She looked amused as she pulled a hair tie off her wrist and wrapped it around her head of hair.

"Like what?" She asked after she'd finished braiding it down to just above her hips.

"I don't know. Maybe it'd be a good idea for you to make some friends." I sighed as I sat up and kissed the top of her hand.

"Do you think I'm ready for that?" She looked worried still as I nodded and squeezed her hand.

"You never really had a big issue with the blood lust like me, Cat." I wanted to calm her fears but I felt bad when I messed with her emotions, she was my wife. My equal. She wouldn't have messed with my feelings unless it was totally necessary.

"Come on." I pulled her to her feet and grinned as I tossed her over my shoulder to mess with her.

"Jasper!" She scolded halfheartedly as I took off towards the fields. I'd found a little quiet spot that I wanted to show her before school started in a few hours.

* * *

"Why is Catharin sitting with a bunch of humans?" Edward was annoyed but also worried about it.

"Why bother askin' when you already know?" I glanced at him then turned my attention back on the table, it was two girls she'd been sitting with originally but the two girls turned into two girls and a guy now. I heard him huff under his breath and ignored it.

"Jasper here thought it was a good idea to bring some more interest for her in the whole school life." Emmett spoke up, slapping a hand on my shoulder.

One of the girls whispered something about me starin' which lead to Cat turnin' around and grinning at me. I felt a small smile slip onto my face as I took in her happiness. She'd gotten pretty damn bored with the whole high school thing. I wasn't even sure if she'd really want to do high-school again in Forks or if she'd bail to go to the hospital. I have to admit I was hoping she'd ride through high-school with me but I wasn't about to stop her from going back to the hospital.

"You know under the whole glaring weirdo thing, I think you're just a big teddy bear, Jasper." Alice's voice rung out as I felt the smile disappear.

"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?" I rolled my eyes at her and turned my gaze back onto Catharin's back. It was covered by her hair, woman had ridiculously long hair for this time period. She got away with it in the past century just from the styles but I was worried she'd get shit for it now.

"Its true and you know it." Rosalie commented from next to Em. It almost annoyed me. I knew I was pretty rough and scarred from my past and I knew it contrasted more often than not to Catharin's softer nature. It bothered her for a little bit, how heartless I was with people that weren't her or a close friend. I could be a little callous with the Cullens outside of Esme and Emmett at time.

"You remember how I ripped Edward's arm off and flung it into the forest out of spite, right?" I snorted and raised both of my brows at her. Edward's chair scraped against the floor as he got up. He felt angry and bitter now. Those were emotions I was familiar with since I'd been turned, hope or love or trust or anything like those had me grasping at straws and waiting for instructions.

"You were antagonized." She shrugged. I smelled Catharin coming closer to me before she actually draped a hand over my shoulder and kissed my cheek.

"Class?" I asked as I grasped her hand and pulled it to my lips, planting a light kiss on it. I looked back at her for an answer.

"Yeah. Wanna be my southern gentleman and walk me there, Mr Cullen?" She winked as she took a step back, grinning.

"Guess I could, Ms Hale." Felt weird to see her name written as "Katherine Hale", she was supposed to be Rosalie's sister and pulled it off pretty well. It was really only that their hair were similar colours that let it fly for the humans. I mean I still saw her name as Catharin Whitlock, most of the time I'd just write over it in my head. I waved to Emmett as we walked out of the dining hall and towards her class.

I had history and god dammit, I was sat next to the brown haired girl again. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stop breathing despite feeling a bit of panic at not smelling everything every time I took in a breath. It used to be that I felt panic when Cat was gone all day but it'd gotten better as the years went by. Charlotte was right when she said it'd get better after some time.

"Hi Jasper!" She waved and moved her chair forwards as I passed by her to sit on the inside portion of the damn desks. I nodded towards her and flipped open the history book, trying to absorb myself into the pages and away from a human girl that didn't get the message. I didn't even remember her name but she hadn't given up since last semester, it was noble for sure. Brave even. It just annoyed the piss out of me. I was a married man, had been for 43 years and I liked it that way. Felt like a lot less than that sometimes but then others, it felt like nothing.

When she'd finally come out about Edward's obsession and I fuckin' lost it in the same year, it felt like we'd barely spent any time together and that was why I'd lost her. Wasn't one of my best moments, it was next to being told she'd died. I took it at about the same level of sanity. Honestly felt like I had until she kissed me back into my senses. I'd even considered actually stepping down and walking away. Now, I'd rather die than let her go like that without a honest fight.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We go from '96 to 2000 then in Alaska its from 2000 to 2004, making Irenta and Bella around 13 years old as they were one in '91. Anyone smell Twilight approaching? Also I'm currently writing this from the Atlanta Airport so gimme a break on spelling errors ;-; There was like a five hour layover to Europe. I am DYING. The next chapter will be a bit longer.

The four school years in Wisconsin passed us by quickly, leaving us to choose to either go on to college in Denali or to choose to stay out of sight until we moved again. Jasper and I of course choose to go on to Alaska for college. I choose to focus on a degree in music, to try and practice my violin. Jasper went for military history with a logic base. A year later, Rose, Em, and Alice joined us choosing to study their own respective degrees. Edward came two years after that but instead of pursuing a degree he went for hanging around Tanya.

When Edward came, so did Esme and by effect, Carlisle. He'd begun to slowly start talking to me again, he was still hesitant when Jasper came around though. Even in a new setting, he faltered often. But he'd also begun to flirt with Tanya a little more, I felt like it was a little bit fake but she seemed to enjoy it. It kept her away from Jazz which I enjoyed.

We were staying with the Denali coven which led to some interesting circumstances as the three sisters weren't mated to anyone. Carmen and Eleazar however were similar to Carlisle and Esme in the way that they acted as a stabilizing force to the whirlwinds that were the sisters. But really the biggest whirlwind was in 2004 when Alice had a little bit of a meltdown over Irenta

"Ali?" I jumped when a zooming black haired force went past Jasper and I. He tensed, his hand around my waist pulled me to the side faster than I could really react to anything.

"I think Irenta's done something." I supplied warily as I looked back at the forest as it was slowly decimated in certain areas. I could hear trees being ripped up and wild life running around in what I imagined to be pure terror. We had lived here since the start of the new century, and as the family slowly joined us here the Volturi seemed to be a tad bit threatened. Even going so far as to sending various messages concerning any attempt to rise up against them and blahblahblah.

"Think I should go?" Jasper asked me with two raised brows.

"GO GET HER. Shes going to attract attention." I looked back to the front door as Esme came out shouting at first then leveling her voice as she motioned to the forest.

"Probably a good idea." I sighed as he squeezed my hand then disappeared into the woods. We were next to the national park, probably a good idea to calm her the hell down before she snatched a park ranger and _then_ we would have had murder on our hands.

I wandered inside and collapsed on the couch next to Emmett and Kate, who were racing each other on the PlayStation 2. I didn't pay attention to the games they played, just picked a favourite and added to the rivalry and competition. My favourite was usually Kate.

"Is Kate winning?" I asked from the couch. She was frowning but looked focused as she shook her head.

"Shes losing in a super pathetic fashion. Whose your protege now, Cat? " Emmett grinned.

"Kate. You may win this battle but we'll win the war." I laid my head on Kate's shoulder as I answered with a grin. He looked back to the TV with an eye roll, ignoring my sentiments. A few hours later Jasper and Alice came back into the house. She was worrying me, not looking happy or enthusiastic any more, rather she looked angry and heartbroken.

"What happened?" I practically rushed her, wrapping my arms around her frame. She was still a little shorter than me but we were close enough to the same height that she didn't bump into my chest. I felt her shaking but nothing was coming out, so I looked to Jasper who looked pained in return. I had a feeling Alice's emotions were running him up the wall.

"Irenta has had her first...experience." Edward's voice called out from upstairs, only confusing me more. I frowned as Rose appeared next to us, not entirely sure what experience he meant.

"Shes found a girlfriend, Cat." Jasper sighed, looking at Alice's back as I ran my hand over it in circles. Rose joined me soon enough, putting an awkward hand on Alice's shoulders.

"Well shes human. She doesn't know you exist yet, Alice." Rose tried to calm her down a bit, looking a tad panicked with it all. Alice just gripped my torso tighter.

"What she means is that won't last. It may be her first but its not her last." I tried to correct the damage done. It seemed to work a little as Alice's grip relaxed in the slightest.

"Hell, Cat was married when she was changed and we had no idea about each other." Jasper supplied uneasily. Emmett and Kate seemed to still be either uninterested or incredibly absorbed in their video games.

"Thats true and when I met him, he was still human." I nodded quickly, understanding where he was going with this. It was something to give Alice hope, something to relate too, it was support.

"It was the same for Emmett and I." I raised a brow at Rose, yeah Emmett was human but he was pretty much comatose when she brought him to Carlisle. I watched her shrug unceremoniously and rolled my eyes. She was little hypocritical like that, she demanded for Emmett to be changed but was resistant when it came around to Irenta being changed. She claimed it was a different circumstance.

"That was different, babe." Emmett called from the couch. Okay so they were aware but just didn't want to get involved. Can't blame them really, Kate was incredibly loyal to her own coven and friends. Alice was sweet as a family member but she wasn't quite full fledged family for Kate. We'd talked about it one day during a hunting trip. There were different levels of family according to her, the immediates were her sisters then Esme, Carlisle, Jasper and I as close Cullens and then the rest of the Cullens. Rose just rolled her eyes and went back to the garage.

"Do you remember what it felt like when you were around her as a human?" Alice released me after a second, focusing entirely on Jasper who raised a brow at the question.

"I do." He looked a little taken-aback as he pursed his lips. Alice immediately seemed to brighten as she focused on asking Jasper a multitude of questions, all at a vampiric speed.

"What were your first thoughts? Were you afraid? Were you excited? Interested?" She went quiet after the fourth question in a row, waiting for his answers. He looked at me for a second as he seemed to sigh.

"I didn't understand why she was glittery but I liked it. I thought she was gorgeous but sad. I wasn't afraid of her, excited, yes. Interested, definitely. I started writing her right after then lost her for a good portion, then found her again and here we all are." He maintained eye contact with Alice until the end where he just motioned to the general area. She seemed to almost vibrate on the spot.

"Were you caught on her for a long time then?" Alice's questions were innocent sounding but I felt like it brought up a lot of the past that we'd already tried to put away.

"I was." He nodded slowly, he glanced at me again making me want to look away.

"Thanks guys!" Alice clapped her hands together, sounding back to normal as she went up to her room. The next few years was a series of unexplained tantrums by Alice leading up to pure excitement as we began to pack up to go back to Forks. Most of the time she'd have a tantrum when something either happened to Irenta or she'd done something that Alice didn't approve of. It seemed Irenta was quite the rebellious teenager.

We were asked to disband from the Denali due to our size and possible threat by the Volturi. The Denalis were a serious law following group and so we agreed almost immediately to move back to Forks, only seeing them on holidays. I think it was almost a breath of fresh air for Jasper, he wouldn't be surrounded by so many vampires.

Not much had changed in the town of Forks, Washington. Things had gotten more advanced but the buildings still looked the same and the closer we go to the reservation, the stronger it reeked of dog. Forks was the only place that I hadn't seen Em and Rose get married again and I think it had a lot to do with Emmett's kink for a high school girl.


	24. Chapter 24

"Alice if you shake any harder, my wife's head might fall off." Jasper commented lowly from next to me over Alice's squeals of excitement. We were still standing in the dinning room as Esme and Carlisle rushed around to find a particular tie of his.

"Sorry. I'm just so excited. Its only like a few more years and she'll be here." She pull away from my shoulder's to apologise to Jasper. I felt like he was just being a little over protective.

We'd started high school in Forks, Washington, maybe 6 months ago. Jasper, Alice and I, were all freshmen while Em, Rose, and Edward were starting out as sophomores. We just got off of Christmas break and we'd come back from Denali after spending the month up there. Esme was missing the company of Carmen apparently so we all went up for the holiday.

"Yeah. I still need her head to be on right in a few more years." Jasper snorted, wrapping an arm around my waist as he pulled me back a little towards him.

"Not like it's on there all that tight now, anyways." Emmett grinned as he cracked the joke.

"Bite me." I rolled my eyes at him as Rose came around the corner, glitzed out.

"I don't know if thats a good idea." She admonished. Rose always loved dressing up. She loved the nice hair, the make up, the shoes, the bags, the dresses...I just liked the make up, shoes, and dresses. My hair was a little too long and a little too straight to do anything with that was really all that fancy. Plus I had the patience of a toddler, hate sitting there for hours not doing anything.

"You really do have the patience of a toddler." Edward commented with a small smirk.

"Better than the social etiquette of one." I rolled my eyes as Jasper's grip tightened ever so slightly. Edward and I had gotten on better terms, he agreed to disagree with my choices of men and I agreed to disagree with his thoughts. Jasper just agreed to treat him less like an enemy and more like his housemate.

"Alright, alright. It'll be just as nice with the black one...You six better be off to school by now." Esme called down after apparently finding a tie for her mate. I realised then that it was close to eight am.

"We'll only be a little late." Alice replied as she marched off to go jump into Rose's new convertible _BMW_. Well I say new but it's actually closer to 6 years old, she just worked on it so much that it looked as new as it was the day she got it as gift from Em. I ended up sliding behind Jasper on his speed bike because I was wearing Jeans today, if I wore a dress I took out the _Audi TT,_ an anniversary gift from Jazzy.

"I'm your new history teacher. You will not call me Elijah Woods. It's Mr Woods, Sir, or Professor Woods if you're feeling particularly teacher's-petish. I will not respond to Teacher or to Mister." Jasper and I scampered into the classroom like scolded children trying to sneak away and took our seats in the far back corner as the new US history teacher introduced himself. Ms Roads was on maternity leave which either meant she'd lost the job or she wasn't coming back until the summer got closer. It _was_ only mid January.

"Also, you two late comers in the back. Detent..." He turned back around pointing to Jasper and I with a piece of chalk as his words fizzled out. I froze in confusion while Jasper tensed at the new vampire almost standing out of his seat.

I slapped a hand over his mouth to stop the snarl from erupting over his lips and scaring every human in the room that had absolutely no idea as to what was happening here. He had every right considering the new guy was a human drinker and he was in our territory but the humans didn't know that.

I had no idea how we didn't notice him here, Alice didn't see him, Jasper didn't sense him, Edward didn't even know he'd existed until right this moment. It was like an echo had caught up with all of us, ringing through the hallways. New vampire.

"Right. Detention for both of you. I-I'll see you after class." The vamp cleared his throat as he turned around and went back to writing on the board like nothing had happened. Whispers erupted over the student body about me slapping Jazzy in the mouth. I felt kinda bad but it was a lot better than him snarling and scaring everyone. We sat back with him glaring at the teacher and I was just mindlessly writing down notes.

* * *

It was like a beacon had been lit as Alice, Rose, Emmett, and Edward all came into the room with their defense's on. Jasper's was incredibly suffocating. I'd move to the side which made him move a little to the side.

"Is this all of you, then?" Woods raised a brow, looking surprised when Emmett came through the door.

"No." Rose hissed. She didn't like new comers. Especially blood drinkers that could get us all kicked out by the Quileutes. Woods just looked mildly unimpressed with her tone.

"And?" He looked expectantly at her for who else was here.

"Our leader, Carlisle. And his mate." I replied plainly, looking at him. His eyes met mine and I couldn't help but feel like I'd seen this guy before.

"I feel like I've seen you somewhere." He tilted his head, looking back at me with confusion. I just shrugged.

"You're better off just telling us who you are, when you got here, _why_ you're here..." I trailed off, looking at him with an expectant expression.

"Or better yet, why can't I hear your thoughts?" Edward frowned as he looked the vamp up and down.

"Little bit of a shield for all sorts of things, thoughts, smells, emotions, sounds. People can't find me if I don't want them too. Disappear in a crowd kinda business. Now then." He shrugged, looking towards Edward unapologetically.

"Elijah Woods, madam, got here 'round a week ago and I'm here to replace the other lady. They called me up from Seattle. Miss..." Now he trailed off, looking expectantly back at me for my name.

I just snorted and raised my brows as I gave him an incredulous half smile. Like hell I was going to help him out. He seemed to sigh as he just picked up the class rooster and flipped a few pages, reading down the list.

"Amanda?" He looked up, gauging my reaction. I shook my head at him. He nodded, going down to the next line.

"Amber?" He looked up again as I shook my head, almost amused with this guy.

"Good god, she's Catharin Hale on there." Emmett called from the side.

"What? It would have taken him _forever_ to get to her name. Do you know how many Ashley's we have in this school?" We all looked back at him as Rose smacked his shoulder. It was a scolding for telling Woods who I was.

"So Miss Catharin Hale." He seemed to almost smirk at having my name now.

"She's a Mrs." Jasper spoke up, looking the new guy up and down as I looped my elbow with Jasper's. I felt like it'd get him less persnickety or at least a little more relaxed about this guy.

"And how long have you two been married?" He raised his brows as he took in our new position.

"That's not even close to relevant right now." I replied, incredulous he'd even ask like we were just having coffee or something normal. He shrugged.

"Fair enough. I'd love to drop by to talk with Carlisle later on today." He nodded, standing to his full height as the bell rang signaling lunch was over.

"We have to ask that you don't drink from the local population." I stated firmly as we all stood to leave now.

"Will do." He nodded as he turned around and to the back of the desk. We filed out and drifted our individual ways. I went to biology, Jasper to English with Alice, Em and Rose had P.E. while Edward went to chemistry. He'd probably take biology next year.

* * *

I rode home with Jasper right after my science class, we all went home for one reason or another. Alice ended up calling Esme and Carlisle to let them know of the new guy and that he'd be coming which led to them calling the school to excuse us from the rest of the day for a family related something or other. I barely paid attention to their excuses to the humans, mostly because I felt it was silly that I was close to 166 years old and my 'father' had to call to get me out of a high school course.

We stood close to the back wall as the door bell rang and Esme opened it, awkwardly welcoming Woods into the house. They made pleasant small talk while the rest of us just watched with bated breath. Rose was snippy while the rest of us watched, silently. His eyes kept drifting back to mine as Carlisle finally came in and the real discussion began.

"Welcome to my family. Alice tells me you've taken a job at the high school." Carlisle was warm as always.

"I have. I was hoping to keep it for a time allotted if that can be agreed upon." He shook Carlisle's hand with the same ferocity I'd seen Jasper use when we first came to live with the Cullens.

"I imagine we can come to some understanding Mr Woods. May I ask where you've come from, you have quite the accent." Carlisle smiled softly as the two sat down and we were motioned over to sit as well next to Esme and Carlisle. I went to go a few steps forward when Jasper shook his head, he was still too hesitant. I sighed and nodded, standing next to him.

"I came out of a small colony town in Georgia. I believe it's called Savannah these days." He nodded, answering Carlisle's question. Alice looked interested in the conversation as she leaned forwards a little next to Esme.

"Interesting. Catharin comes from Savannah as well but she doesn't have quite the accent." Carlisle was just making conversation now, conversation that I didn't want to have.

"I left right after I was changed. Ended up in Texas after a week or two." I explained to sate Carlisle's inquisitive nature before he really got going.

"Thats where I came in." Jasper nodded in my direction, adding his details.

"To be fair, Jasper has way more of an accent than you do, Cat." Rose commented with a bit of a snort as she looked over the couch as us.

"Just never really picked it up, I guess." I shrugged.

"Interesting. My wife had the same sort of odd accent to her." Woods commented with a small smile, looking back to Carlisle in a placid manner.

"Lets talk business then. I'll be staying closer to the school in a one bedroom house. I understand that your family doesn't drink blood?" He raised a brow as he continued, getting to the real point he was here.

"We survive off of animals. Makes things easier for a lot of us...and harder, of course." Carlisle nodded, thinking on it.

"Fascinating. How does it make it easier? Blood is in our nature." He tilted his head as he looked back to me for an answer. I pursed my lips, not really wanting to give away what gifts we had.

"Well, Edward would read thoughts and Jasper would feel the emotions of his prey if it were human. It takes it's toll on them." Carlisle motioned to us, not fully explaining their gifts to the stranger.

"I see. And the rest of you?" His tone was cryptic, as if he was analyzing the two men.

"Catharin was a doctor at one point, she still technically is. Alice has a human mate for now, and Rosalie has just never had the stomach for it." Carlisle commented with a bit of a guarded tone. He seemed to be getting a little protective of our information now.

"Anyways. We have a treaty going with the reservation down the road a bit. It would do you well to hunt in Los Angeles or Seattle otherwise the wolves will get you if you find yourself on their territory or dipping into human here." Carlisle explained motioning to the outside.

"Werewolves? What could they possibly do?" Wood's snorted as if the idea was preposterous to even think about. I knew they only changed on the full moon but outside of that I had to guess they were just normal humans that smelled funny.

"They're shape-shifters. It's not a laughing topic, Mr Woods. It's very serious, they're humans that are more than human, stronger, faster, merciless." I hissed with some annoyance building at his lack of seriousness. His chuckles soon died as my tone went grave.

"I feel like you've got some history there." He commented dryly as he looked back at me.

"She was almost torn apart by the mutt's when she wandered on there in like the 60s or something." Emmett explained my seriousness.

"Well why would you even wander on there?" Wood's brows furrowed as he asked as if I'd just been an idiot and wandered on there when I knew the risks.

"Because I _didn't know._ " I glared at the man with heat in my voice. He cleared his throat, looking away from my eyes and around the room.

"Well I'd best be off. I still expect you two for detention tomorrow afternoon, please and thank you." He nodded his head to us then stood, taking his coat and heading for the door.

"Great." I breathed with a little ferocity in my eyes as I glared harder at him. I was a little surprised he was rushing for the door but at the same time I totally just thought about pulling his head off and tossing it out the door for him. As soon as he left, we all went our separate ways but Jasper pulled me aside.

"Hunt with me?" He asked softly as he pulled my hands up to his lips and lightly kissed them.

"Sure." I smiled as he squeezed them then pulled me along behind him gently. We got a few miles out when he turned around and frowned at me. That was when I realised this was a talking thing, not an actual hunting thing.

"Look. Cat, baby. There's just something so totally off with that guy and I know you think I'm ridiculous but he gives me all the heebie jeebies in all the wrong ways, babe." He let it all out in one breath as I raised a brow at his use of the term heebie jeebies.

"It's fine. Be as over protective as you'd like. Just remember he works there." I motioned in the general direction I felt like the school would be in.

"Cat...the schools behind you, to the east. Not in front." He seemed to have a small smile pop up as he informed me I was pointing in the opposite direction of the school.

"Oh my god, whatever. You know what I meant." I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"We go there 5 days out of 7." He just chuckled and pulled me a little closer, kissing the top of my head.

"Blah-blah-blah." I mumbled into his clothed chest. We'd have to get him some more modern looking clothes. He was still stuck on the button up with a vest combo.

"You're absolutely hopeless with directions." He mumbled into my hair as I shrugged. Maybe a little.


	25. Chapter 25

It didn't take long for Jessica Stanley to ask me why I'd slapped my husband in the mouth four days ago on Monday. In fact I could tell she'd wanted to ask sooner but Jasper was around, I think he scared her off a few times. This time though, she'd found me alone at the lockers, I felt like Jasper had a hard time getting out of his class. I'd had a distant relationship with her, Angela Weber, and Ben Cheney, but I tended to keep them at arms length when it came to personal details.

"Yes Jessica?" I raised a brow as I saw her stop and stare at me from the corner of my eye. I was on my way to detention finally. I didn't want it to take place on a Friday so we'd decided on today. I wanted my weekend to be totally free of a certain history teacher.

"Just wanted to check in, see if you had any plans for the spring dance and all that." She shrugged, looking excited.

"Well, I'm totally up for a shopping trip to Los Angeles if you and Alice wanted to go on one." She looked a little distracted but hopeful as she hinted. I nodded with a small smile forming as I closed the locker and turned to face her.

"But anyways I was totally just wondering what happened with you and Mr dark and handsome and Mr Teacher-Hottie?" She queried quickly, waving her hands back towards the classroom. I realised that this was the whole reason she'd been following me around for the last few days with some mirth. Jasper would be a mix of appalled and amused to hear her call him Mr dark and handsome. I could only guess the dark referenced his general outlook on life towards humans.

"A fly was close to landing on his chin. So I smacked it away." I stated plainly, looking her dead in the eye. I waited with bated breath as it seemed to process.

We'd practiced this after asking Carlisle if he could think of a good reason to slap someone in the mouth. Edward was actually the first to suggest it saying that he'd seen girls smacking each other after a bee so we choose a fly because it'd be less noticeable. Jasper hadn't appreciated the slap, giving me a stinging one on my ass in return but I still felt it'd been totally necessary.

"Oh! I guess that makes sense." She looked a little disappointed in my reason but I felt a sense of relief. I saw Jasper coming behind her and nodded to him that it'd worked. She bought it. He had both of his hands behind his back as he walked tall over towards us, he gave me a small smile that quickly faded as he came closer.

"Totally normal reason. I mean I've done the same thing to Lauren when a bee landed in her hair." Jessica looked over her shoulder as I began to smile and nodded quickly. I guess she was one of the girls Edward saw.

"You look good today, Miss Stanley." Jasper complimented. He nodded his head to her as she seemed to almost begin to vibrate on the spot. I almost started to grin at his pleasant tone. He sounded halfway normal right now.

"Oh gosh, you can totally just call me Jessica or Jess or something." She looked incredibly flattered to have gained the compliment from Jazzy, delight streamed from her eyes.

"But yeah, thanks! I did put on some extra mascara and lip gloss today. I thought it was a good shade even though Lauren said it was too pink for my complexion." She added shyly.

"Its a lovely shade." I nodded, looking back at her. She seemed to blush deeper as Jasper nodded as well. I felt like we looked like two bobble head dolls standing there as we talked to her but Jessica seemed entirely giddy like she saw nothing wrong with this scene.

"Miss Hale and Mr Cullen. I expected you two in my classroom two minutes ago." Woods came out of his classroom, his voice echoing around the empty hallway. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at this facade. I was 166 years old and I was in a stupid detention. I kind of understood why Jasper sometimes felt like the human facade of a high-schooler was humiliating.

"Well I guess I'll just let you two go then. Bye and text me if you want to hang out." She grinned, turning to leave now. I looked back towards Jasper with a small smile, he glanced at me and squeezed my hand in return before he turned back to glower at Woods.

Jasper never really spoke to her, just sort of glared next to me as I spoke to her so this was a good start. I felt like we really needed to talk to people like a normal couple of teenagers if we ever wanted to blend in, Esme and Carlisle agreed while everyone else except Alice almost laughed. Alice wanted to blend in with me to try and get used to it before Irenta showed.

We'd never fit in according to Rose, she thought we were just too different to ever fit in with humans again. Rose for all her good qualities was vain at times, a lot relied on the sight for her. I was a middle ground in attractiveness which she thought gave me an ability to be accepted more so by the females. Jasper always disagreed, bless him.

"Do you always make a habit of making friends with your prey?" Woods snorted as soon as Jessica was out of ear shot. The heavy front doors slammed shut behind her as we all watched her leave, I didn't respond at first.

"Do you always make a habit of teacher _your_ prey?" I retorted quickly, my head spun around to glare at him. I knew our way of life and our ideology was rare and almost odd in the vampire world. We were really the only large coven that truly preached taking a stand against the bloodshed of humans for us to live. It seemed Wood's was one of the anti types that enjoyed the chase and felt it was silly to do anything else.

"I suppose I do, it pays my bills and fills my gut, Miss Hale." He seemed amused at my righteous outburst as he turned to walk back to his classroom. We turned to follow while Jasper wrapped an arm around my hips, pulling me closer towards him.

"So. What shall we have you do? Perhaps fill out some charts? Timelines of 1860's Civil War? Or better yet, every American president?" He sat back against his desk as we stood in-front of the door. He looked in power, amused and entranced with holding his power as an instructor over us. Sadly he seemed to not know that much about either of us or our original era.

"You're looking at the youngest Major to have ever made the Texan confederacy. Go ahead and give me all of your crap, Woods." Jasper drawled with confidence, I smirked next to him as we stood in-front of the vampire.

"Right. I forgot you two were around back then." Woods sighed, looking put out with the lack of fun.

"Well tell me about yourselves. Carlisle said you were a doctor, Miss Hale." His eyes drifted towards me. I nodded slowly.

"Yes. I can heal humans so it only made sense to study for that position." I raised a brow as I explained my reasoning for it all with a sour tone.

"Mm. I can tell. You look the type to care. I suppose thats where you come in with a choice like that." He motioned to Jasper with a tilt of his head. I pursed my lips, not responding to his bait.

"I beg your pardon?" Jasper took the bait, setting his own for the teacher. I almost sighed but decided instead to reach out towards my mate and take his hand that rested on my hip.

"Well you're obviously a patron of war. Soldiers break. She's around to put you back together." He smirked, looking back to Jasper.

I felt my mouth fall open with some indigence at my husband's expense when said husband just pulled me closer into a kiss. I wasn't entirely expecting it but I returned it with some extra tongue action without really thinking about the fact that Woods was standing right there. Jasper pulled back after a second with a little bit of a victorious smile going.

"That puts me back together anytime." He muttered in response to Woods but he was looking at me with warm sweet eyes. Now I just wanted to leave and find a place to strip him down and ride him. It was funny how quickly Jasper brought out the brazen lust in my for no good reason other than he just could.

"That looked a little hot and heavy. Are you sure that's really appropriate for siblings?" Woods smirked, looking like he was about to have some fun again.

"Cute." I stated with little humour. I felt my face tighten in a look of pure annoyance as I stared at the other vampire. Jasper's grip tightened around my hand telling me he didn't appreciate the man's idea of funny either.

"I can get a lot cuter if you'd give me and your sisters a kiss like that, honey." Woods winked, sitting back on his desk. It appeared he was flirting but he was also watching me expectantly for some sort of a reaction. I just felt the indignation set in, forcing my mouth into a thin line.

"I don't find that all that amusing." I bit out with some heat behind my words, they were all clear and crisp but I wasn't kind.

I was a little shocked at first that he'd said something like that and laughed. Rose and Alice were my _sisters_. That just a level icky grossness that I just refused to think about. But the fact _he_ seemed to be thinking about them like that had me angry. Just really, really angry. To the point I was squeezing Jazzy's hand like a stressball.

"Oh come _on_. Lighten up, unwind your corset for a second. Its just a joke...Plus if I happened to tell the principle about you two kissing in front of a teacher in detention, you guys would have so many more problems, huh?" He shrugged, looking a little put off by my lack of laughter.

It felt like he was almost threatening us at this point, making me want to pull back a little from the man in caution and worry. Jasper seemed to have just snapped at that point, which was fair. Jasper didn't do anything close to a threat. He'd snap someone in half for a threat.

Jazz moved at a faster pace than either of us and before I knew it, Wood's head was pressed between Jasper's bicep and forearm. I was between cheering and telling Jasper to put the man down. It was pretty much my sensibilities versus my anger with the comments earlier. I sure as hell wasn't about to stop him.

"You have quite the sense of humour, Mr Woods." His voice was dark and his eyes were narrowed. I recognized the look from when Jasper yanked Edward's arm off and tossed it across the forest.

"Though some how I find myself lacking laughter." I took a step forward when Jasper held up a hand for me to stop and he tightened his grip on Woods. I pursed my lips with a sigh and allowed him that, stopping where I was.

"Is that...so?" Woods paused to take a deep breath. He put his hands over Jasper's arm to try and pull back enough for a bit of air.

"I think you may find yourself in a better position if you keep jokes about my wife or her sisters to yourself, Mr Woods." Jasper was essentially warning him as he dropped him back to his knees with a bit of distaste. I had a feeling Emmett and Edward would join Jasper in taking apart the guy if he asked them. Emmett seemed to be neutral while Edward found him possibly threatening our peace with the Quileutes and Jasper just found him annoying.

"You're both dismissed. Have a good day, Mr Cullen and Miss hale." He coughed with a small grin forming as he felt his throat. Jasper seemed pleased with that, like he was hoping for that to happen. He took my hand and guided me out of the room gently. I followed without a single glance back at the man because I had a feeling I was about to get my wish from earlier.

Jazz got onto his bike and waited for me to swing my leg over. I got it over and he zipped out of the near empty parking lot with a loud roar from the ducati. We got farther down the road when we pulled off to go back towards the house. He stopped the bike halfway, parking it in the trees and pulling me back into the forest. I'm sure I had a wide grin as I skipped in front of him.

It was quickly wiped off when the waves of lust hit me and I quickly went to kiss Jasper hard on the mouth. He reciprocated pushing me back until we bumped into a tree, it splintered ever so slight as our shoulders went through the side. I was almost giddy for what was coming next as I laid back on the grass, Jasper trailing a line of kisses down my neck.


	26. Could just get rid of him

It took another two weeks before Jasper just got tired of Woods entirely. We were all sitting in the cafeteria, in our little table off to the side. I knew it was odd for the humans that we did that but it helped us elevate any mentions of us not eating. I knew Jessica in particular was curious about that, she acted as a messenger for her friend, Lauren. I didn't deal much with Lauren, mostly because I couldn't stand being around the vapid personality and the fact she continuously attempted to hit on Jazzy.

Emmett went to hit me with a block of snow that had just melted enough when Jasper blocked. I jerked back wards, trying to cover my face as I realised that a snowball was about to hit me. I reacted slow for a vampire. Always have so I just flinched essentially, on the other hand, Jasper was just fast enough and flicked it off into the far wall. Alice seemed amused but then turned serious as we realised what was about to happen now.

It landed with a large bang and an explosion of ice that left both a hole in the wall and the cafeteria in a round of silence. Everyone looked around for the perpetrator but no one really looked at us. Except for Woods, that is. His head popped in from around the side door, almost grinning but he seemed to try and keep it to a professional look.

"Cullens, principle's office." He directed us to go out the door with a wave of his hand. I felt my mouth drop open in disbelief. What the _shit_? He was drawing attention to us on purpose now. No regular human would have created a hole in the wall from a _snowball_. If he were human, he'd have never known.

"That son of a bitch." Rose was cursing him out under her breath, it was too low for the humans but it served it's message to Woods. We all stood and filed out in slow line, I could hear the humans around us whispering about who threw it. Most thought it was Emmett but I believe Mike Newton and his friend Tyler thought it was Jasper...kinda felt like both sides were right.

"Oh..uh. Hi there." The secretary looked confused and nervous when the entire Cullen clan showed up at once. I could see her eyes lingering around Jasper and looped his elbow with mine, the woman might have been 50 years old but I still wasn't about to go for her oogling him when I was right next to him.

"What's happened?" She turned her full attention towards us while her heartbeat started to skip a few beats. I couldn't blame her. Most humans felt alright around me but they were usually terrified around Jasper and Emmett. Alice was a little more confusing around humans and Rose was either hated or loved, there wasn't an in between with her. She tended to hate all of them equally while the men loved her and the women hated her.

I realised we'd just all been glaring at the secretary for maybe a minute now and we were actually supposed to talk. "Mr Woods sent us here." I murmured, looking her up and down as she stood and started ruffling through papers.

" _All_ of you?" She sounded incredibly surprised, and with good reason honestly. We all maintained between a 3.5 and 4.0 and stayed out of the principle's office, kept us under the radar.

"They were throwing snowballs around in the cafeteria, punched a hole in the wall." Woods had apparently just arrived, explaining the situation. I caught Edward's eyes and held them, hoping to get the message through. _I say we deny it._ He raised a brow but gave me the smallest of nods I'd ever seen. It was just barely there for me to see.

"Do you have any evidence of that, Mr Woods?" Edward spoke up, giving everyone the same signal at once. Deny everything. None of the humans had seen us, there wasn't any ice on us, we _could_ get away with this with just denying everything. Wood's frowned, turning back to look at Edward as the redhead stepped forwards.

"I saw it. I have my word as a teacher." He declared, looking back at us daringly.

"Well I'd have to say that I want to talk to the principle because we didn't throw it." I declared back, crossing my arms over my chest. Jasper was eyeing me warily as I stated a half truth. We technically didn't _throw_ it, it was _flicked_ into the wall. Wood's frown turned into a slow grin as he stared at me for a second. He'd realised I'd staged the coup at this point.

"Um. We're going to have to call your parents, to let them know about the detention and the principle visit. Or we could email them at the end of the week, whichever is better." Mrs Crott was trying to be kind to us but in reality she had no idea what she was dealing with here.

Carlisle would just have to come down and explain that if he continued to draw attention, he would have to leave. I had a feeling Jasper was done with him entirely and Jasper's solution to things like that was to eliminate them. Rose had the same idea about things but she was more about the behind the scenes of slander than anything else, she hadn't killed since she'd been changed and even then it was out of vengeance.

"Go ahead and call. Esme should be home right now." Edward had got a little _too_ daring. _Calm down there._ I grumbled at him mentally as he held my eyes. Esme, for all her sweetness, was a stickler for doing the right thing. Right now that'd mean admitting to breaking their wall. Carlisle was more likely to back up here with the deny everything.

"Oh." Mrs Crott nodded, going to the computer and typing a bit.

"We'll see how this goes, children." He bit out the word with a tint of malice. I held his gaze in a glare for a good while.

* * *

"Oh! Mr Cullen." Mrs Crott looked as though she was about to faint when Carlisle and Esme came into the office after the school day was over. We all looked up from the chairs outside the principle's office.

"I believe we were called in for a meeting? This is my wife, Esme." He gave her one of those stupidly cute smiles that only he'd been able to do without scaring the humans. I'd tried and I think I could do a little smile but it was hard to _not_ creep humans out when Jasper glowering in the corner.

"Oh yes. Of course, sir. Mr Woods will be here in a little while and we'll get started." She looked taken aback by the introduction of Esme, looking her up and down then going back to look at all of us. _What the hell is that about?_

Edward leaned over just a tad towards me. "Shes wondering how Esme could deal with all of us and still look like that." He explained in response to my sudden defensiveness on Esme's behalf. _Oh. Well that was nice of her, I guess?_ I looked back to Edward as he shrugged minutely.

"Wonderful." He smiled warmly at and turned to face all of us with a sigh.

"Shall we go outside for a minute?" He looked almost annoyed but also a little amused as he basically directed us to go outside. We all stood, filling out the door in pairs until Edward came along.

"What happened?" Carlisle looked to be all business as he raised a brow at all of us. He was whispering too low to be heard by humans which was a plus of having such great hearing but on the other hand, we were just all standing outside a glass panel awkwardly staring at each other.

"Em tried to throw a snowball at me and Jasper sort of flicked it into the wall." I deadpanned. Carlisle shook his head as Esme gave us the annoyed mother look she wore so well.

"And now...theres a hole in the wall." Edward finished lamely, looking to me. I nodded, that was definitely true.

"Well we need to pay to fix the hole then and you guys need to be more aware of your surroundings." Esme declared as Carlisle shook his head.

"They can't come clean. Teenagers can't just flick snowballs across a room and cause a hole in the wall, sweetheart." He sighed, running a hand over his hair.

"Exactly. So we're denying everything." I nodded, feeling guilt strike up as Esme looked disappointed.

"What if you anonymously donated to the funding for it to be fixed, that'd be good, right?" Emmett spoke up, looking back to us for support. I nodded slowly. That might work.

"Alice, do you see anything?" Carlisle looked to the little black haired girl as she began to dip out of the conversation.

"It's hazy. Woods can't decide on what hes going to do, if he'll let it go, or if he'll press on." Alice frowned, looking back to us. I let out a long sigh as I leaned back onto Jasper's front and wrapped my hands around his. She quickly turned to Jasper looking shocked, "Jasper! You can't." She shook her head.

"Can't what?" I raised a brow as I looked back between her and Jasper's chin above my head.

"I could always just...get rid of him." Jasper spoke slowly, shrugging.

"I'd help." Rose put up her hand, looking just as bothered as she was when we left the cafeteria.

"No. We will solve this peacefully." Carlisle shook his head at both of them. I smelled something strange right as we all turned to see Woods coming down the hallway slowly. He maintained eye contact with me as I stared back at him. He would either force us to move away from here for another few decades or he'd let us be...or Jasper and Rose would pull his head off. Bunch of options here, but not all of them are great.

"Mr Cullen." He dipped his head to Carlisle who returned the gesture, following him into the room. We followed along behind him like and odd sort of game of follow the leader.

"Mrs Crott, after doing some more investigating...I have come to the conclusion that it isn't the Cullen children." He nodded to her as she seemed to be taken aback and slowly nodded. I felt some relief flutter through me as I stood next to Jasper and let out a sigh.

"However, I will still require that Miss Hale returns to my classroom with me for detention." He turned back around to looked at me then to Carlisle. _Motherfucker._

"Catharin." Edward sighed my name in the lowest of whispers as a scolding for the mental language. _Go suck on a lemon._ I looked back at Edward with muted annoyance.

"For what?" I raised a brow as I challenged him on the detention bit.

"For public displays of affection in my classroom." He smiled. "Good day to you Mrs Crott and to you, Cullen family." He nodded back to the secretary who'd finally begun to type on her keyboard and to Carlisle as he passed by.


End file.
